平方根 (píng fāng gēn) — math. square root | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

The square root of a number: the value that, multiplied by itself, gives the original number. Written as √x in math notation.

classifier

math. square root

Examples

平方根。
Jì suàn yí gè shù de píng fāng gēn xū yào yòng dào gōng shì.
To calculate the square root of a number, you need to use a formula.
平方根。
píng fāng gēn Shì shù xué zhōng cháng jiàn de yùn suàn.
The square root is a common operation in mathematics.
平方根。
Zhè ge shù de píng fāng gēn shì zhěng shù.
The square root of this number is an integer.

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.

平方square

平píngflat方fāngsquare

偏正Modifier + head

平方 means 'square' and 根 means 'root'; together they name the root of a square.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

八八bādivision
亏亏kuīexhaled air

The origin is uncertain. One explanation combines 八 (division) and 亏 (exhaled air) to show smooth speech.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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

木艮根

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

艮

艮gèn根gēn(r)

Same sound today

根 pairs 木 (tree/wood), pointing to plant roots, with 艮 as a sound part.

Appears in

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