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导弹 (dǎo dàn) — missile

Definition

A 'missile' — a guided weapon that flies to its target. Unlike 火箭 (a rocket, often for launching satellites), a 导弹 is specifically a weapon.

noun
missile
Measure word · 枚

Examples

  • 导弹。
    Yì méi dǎo dàn cóng jī dì fā shè le.
    A missile was launched from the base.
  • 导弹。
    Zhè zhǒng dǎo dàn de jīng dù fēi cháng gāo.
    This type of missile has very high precision.
  • 导弹。
    Nà ge guó jiā yán zhì chū le xīn dǎo dàn.
    That country has developed a new missile.

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dǎoguide
弹tánprojectile

导 (guide) and 弹 (projectile) form a projectile that can be guided.

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 彈; 弹 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōng
Sound part声符shēngfú
單
單dān彈tán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 彈 pairs 弓 (bow) with the sound part 單; the simplified 弹 is a shorthand.

Open 弹 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Military & Defense5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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