指南针 (zhǐ nán zhēn) — compass (magnetic direction-finding tool) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

compass (magnetic direction-finding tool)

Measure word · 个

Examples

指南针。
Gǔ dài rén chū hǎi shí kào zhǐ nán zhēn biàn bié fāng xiàng.
Ancient people relied on compasses to find their way when sailing.
指南针，。
Wǒ de zhǐ nán zhēn huài le, xiàn zài bù zhī dào wǎng nǎ zǒu.
My compass is broken; now I don't know which way to go.
指南针，。
Méi yǒu zhǐ nán zhēn, nǐ yě néng tōng guò tài yáng de wèi zhì pàn duàn fāng xiàng.
Even without a compass, you can determine direction by the sun's position.

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.

指南point south

指zhǐpoint南nánsouth

动宾Verb + object

指南针 uses 指南 (points south) to describe 针 (needle), naming the south-pointing needle.

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.

扌旨指

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒu

Sound part声符shēngfú

旨

旨zhǐ指zhǐ

Same sound today

The left part 扌 is the hand form 手. The right part 旨 gives the sound.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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 針; 针 is its simplified writing.

釒十針

Meaning part形符xíngfú

釒Written in full as金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

十

十shí針zhēn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 針 puts 釒, the metal side, beside 十, which gives the sound; 针 is a simplified shorthand.

Appears in

HSK 2.0 Level 6 Directions

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