径 (jìng) — (noun) footpath, path, track; (noun) diameter; (adverb) directly, straight
Definition
Bound-form word (lìng in compounds): in 直径 it means 'diameter', in 径直 it means 'directly/straight', and on its own it means a path or track.
noun
footpathpathtrackdiameter
adverb
directlystraight
Examples
- 。Wǒ men yán zhe shān jiān xiǎo jìng sàn bù.We took a walk along the mountain footpath.
- Zhè ge yuán de zhí jìng shì shí lí mǐThe diameter of this circle is ten centimeters.
- ，。Tā jìng zhí zǒu jìn bàn gōng shì, méi yǒu qiāo mén.He went straight into the office without knocking.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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 徑; 径 is its simplified writing.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
彳彳chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng徑
Same sound today
The traditional form 徑 is built from 彳 and 巠, with 巠 giving the sound; the simplified 径 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.
Appears in
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