屏幕 (píng mù) — screen

Definition

屏幕 (píngmù) means the physical display surface on a phone, computer, or TV — the hardware that shows images. 银幕 is specifically a movie screen in a theater; 画面 is the picture or scene on the display, not the device itself.

noun
screen
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 屏幕。
    Wǒ jiā de diàn shì píng mù hěn dà.
    The TV screen at my house is very big.
  • 屏幕。
    Zhè ge shǒu jī de píng mù huài le.
    This phone's screen is broken.
  • 屏幕。
    Diàn nǎo píng mù hěn qīng chǔ.
    The computer screen is very clear.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

屏píngscreen/barrier
幕mùcurtain

屏 suggests a screen or barrier, and 幕 suggests a curtain; together they name a display surface.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
尸尸shī
Sound part声符shēngfú
并
并bìng屏bǐng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

屏 pairs 尸 with 并, which supplies the sound.

Open 屏 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
巾巾jīncloth
Sound part声符shēngfú
莫
莫mò幕mù
Same sound today

幕 combines 莫 above 巾 (cloth); 莫 gives the sound.

Open 幕 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Computers & Internet5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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