数位 (shù wèi) — digital (attributive)

Definition

数位 (shùwèi) means 'digital' and is used as a technical or formal attributive, often before nouns like 相机 or 技术. In Mainland China, 数字 (shùzì) is the more common everyday word for 'digital'.

adjective
digital (attributive)

Examples

  • 数位。
    Wǒ mǎi le yì tái xīn de shù wèi xiàng jī.
    I bought a new digital camera.
  • 数位。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī zhuān zhù yú shù wèi jì shù.
    This company focuses on digital technology.
  • 数位。
    Wǒ men shǐ yòng shù wèi tú shū guǎn lái chá zī liào.
    We use the digital library to search for materials.

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.

数shùnumber
位wèiposition

"数" means number and "位" means position, referring to a digit or numerical place.

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 數; 数 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
婁
婁lóu數shù(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 數 pairs 攴, the meaning part, with 婁, the sound part; the simplified 数 is a shorthand.

Open 数 →

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
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
立
立lì位wèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

位 combines 人 (man), related to people, with 立, which gives the sound. It was often simply written as 立.

Open 位 →

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