机芯 (jī xīn) — movement (of a watch or clock); mechanism (of a device)

Definition

noun
movement (of a watch or clock)mechanism (of a device)
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 机芯。
    Zhè kuài shǒu biǎo de jī xīn fēi cháng jīng mì.
    The movement of this watch is very precise.
  • 机芯。
    Xiū biǎo shī fu zhèng zài jiǎn chá jī xīn.
    The watch repairman is checking the movement.
  • 机芯，。
    Zhè ge nào zhōng de jī xīn huài le, xū yào huàn yí gè xīn de.
    The movement of this alarm clock is broken; it needs to be replaced with a new one.

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.

机jīmachine
芯xīncore

machine and core combine to mean the central mechanism inside a watch or device.

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.

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 →

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
心
心xīn芯xīn
Same sound today

The top part 艹 points to plant or grass materials, and the lower 心 gives the sound.

Open 芯 →

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