归航 (guī háng) — (verb phrase) to return to home base (for a ship, plane, etc.); (attributive) homing (e.g., homing flight, homing system)

Definition

Aviation/naval term for a vessel or aircraft returning to its home base. Used as a verb phrase or as an attributive modifier (e.g. 归航系统 'homing system').

(verb phrase) to return to home base (for a ship, plane, etc.)(attributive) homing (e.g., homing flight, homing system)

Examples

  • 归航。
    Zhè sōu jūn jiàn chéng gōng guī háng.
    This warship successfully returned to base.
  • 归航。
    Tā men shǐ yòng le guī háng xì tǒng.
    They used the homing system.
  • 归航。
    Fēi xíng yuán zhèng zài zhí xíng guī háng cāo zuò.
    The pilot is performing the homing operation.

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.

归guīreturn
航hángvoyage

归 (return) + 航 (voyage) describes heading back home.

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 歸; 归 is its simplified writing.

  • 𠂤𠂤𠂤ancient form of {{zh-l|*師|troops}}
  • 帚帚zhǒubroom; sweep

The traditional form 歸 combines 𠂤 (troops) and 帚 (broom; sweep) to show sweeping away an enemy and returning; the simplified 归 is a later abbreviation.

Open 归 →

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
舟舟zhōuboat
Sound part声符shēngfú
亢
亢kàng航háng
Same sound today

航 shows a boat with 舟, and 亢 gives the character its sound.

Open 航 →

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