总站 (zǒng zhàn) — main station; terminal (for buses, trains, etc.)

Definition

Refers to the main or terminal stop of a bus, subway, or coach line — the endpoint where most routes begin and end, as opposed to ordinary stops along the way.

noun
main stationterminal (for buses, trains, etc.)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 总站。
    Qǐng dào gōng jiāo zǒng zhàn zuò chē.
    Please go to the bus terminal to take the bus.
  • 总站。
    Dì tiě zǒng zhàn de rén fēi cháng duō.
    There are a lot of people at the subway terminal.
  • 总站。
    Zhè ge zǒng zhàn shì quán shì zuì dà de jiāo tōng shū niǔ.
    This terminal is the largest transportation hub in the city.

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.

总zǒngmain
站zhànstation

Main and station combine to name a central terminal.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 總; 总 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
悤
悤cōng總zǒng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 總 has 糸, a rope, and 悤 as a sound part; the rope part is for binding together. This account is for 總, not for 总.

Open 总 →

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
立立lì
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn站zhàn
Same sound today

站 has 立 on the left and 占 on the right; 立 relates to standing, and 占 gives the sound.

Open 站 →

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