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开关 (kāi guān) — switch (for electricity, light, etc.); valve (for gas, water)

Definition

开关 covers the everyday 'switch/valve' for lights, gas, or water. It can also be a verb phrase meaning 'to turn on and off.' 闸 is a heavier, more technical term — typically a brake, sluice gate, or circuit breaker.

noun
switch (for electricity, light, etc.)valve (for gas, water)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 开关。
    Zhè ge kāi guān kòng zhì fáng jiān de dēng.
    This switch controls the room's lights.
  • 开关。
    Méi qì kāi guān zài chú fáng de zuǒ biān.
    The gas valve is on the left side of the kitchen.
  • 开关。
    Qǐng guān diào diàn nǎo de kāi guān.
    Please turn off the computer's switch.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

开kāiopen
关guānclose

开 means to open and 关 means to close; together they name a device that controls opening and closing.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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 關; 关 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
門門méndoor
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢇅
𢇅𢇅關guān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 关, the traditional form 關 shows 門 as a door and 𢇅 as two wooden sticks locking it, with ring-like marks on top.

Open 关 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Miscellaneous Objects

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