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导体 (dǎo tǐ) — conductor (physics)

Definition

noun
conductor (physics)

Examples

  • 导体。
    Tóng shì yì zhǒng hěn hǎo de dǎo tǐ.
    Copper is a very good conductor.
  • 导体。
    Zhè zhǒng cái liào de dǎo tǐ xìng néng hěn qiáng.
    This material has strong conductive properties.
  • ，导体。
    Zài diàn lù zhōng, dǎo tǐ fù zé chuán shū diàn liú.
    In a circuit, the conductor is responsible for transmitting electric current.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

导dǎoconduct
体tǐbody

「导」conduct and「体」body mean a body that conducts.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 導; 导 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
寸寸cùnhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
道
道dào導
Same sound today

The traditional form 導 pairs 道 (path) as the sound part with 寸 (hand), giving the sense of leading someone. The simplified 导 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 导 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
骨骨gǔbone
Sound part声符shēngfú
豊
豊lǐ體tǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

Open 体 →
Appears in
Physics & Chemistry

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