微机 (wēi jī) — microcomputer; personal computer (PC)

Definition

noun
microcomputerpersonal computer (PC)
Measure word · 台
Easily confused

Examples

  • 微机。
    Zhè tái wēi jī de pèi zhì hěn gāo.
    This microcomputer has high-end specs.
  • 微机。
    Gōng sī gěi měi gè yuán gōng pèi le yì tái wēi jī.
    The company equipped every employee with a PC.
  • 微机。
    Tā zhèng zài yòng wēi jī xiě chéng xù.
    He is writing a program on the microcomputer.

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.

微wēimicro
机jīmachine

“微” means micro, “机” means machine; together they name a microcomputer.

Characters in this word

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

The old form showed 𡵂 (a variant of 美, a person with long hair) and 攵 (a hand with a tool) splitting or combing hairs, hence minute; 微 later added 彳 to emphasize action.

Open 微 →

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
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.

Open 机 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.