座机 (zuò jī) — landline (telephone) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A landline telephone — a phone connected by wire, as opposed to a cell phone (手机). Often used for home or office numbers.

noun

landline (telephone)

Measure word · 部

Examples

座机？
Nǐ jiā de zuò jī hào mǎ shì duō shǎo?
What is your home landline number?
，座机。
Xiàn zài hěn duō rén dōu yòng shǒu jī, bú tài yòng zuò jī le.
Now many people use mobile phones and don't really use landlines anymore.
座机。
Wǒ gěi gōng sī zuò jī dǎ le hǎo jǐ cì dōu méi rén jiē.
I called the company landline several times but no one answered.

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.

机jīmachine

座 (fixed) and 机 (machine) denote a stationary telephone.

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.

广坐座

Meaning part形符xíngfú

广广guǎnghouse on cliff

Sound part声符shēngfú

坐

坐zuò座zuò

Same sound today

座 pairs 广, a house on a cliff, with 坐 to give the sound.

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

木几机

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree; wood

Sound part声符shēngfú

几

几jǐ机jī

Same sound today

The left part is 木 (tree; wood), and the right part 几 gives the sound.

Appears in

Phones & Telecom

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