核裂变 (hé liè biàn) — nuclear fission

Definition

The technical term for 'nuclear fission' — splitting a heavy atomic nucleus into lighter ones. Contrast with 核聚变 ('nuclear fusion'), which joins light nuclei into a heavier one.

noun
nuclear fission

Examples

  • 核裂变。
    hé liè biàn Shì hé néng fā diàn de jī chǔ.
    Nuclear fission is the basis of nuclear power generation.
  • 核裂变。
    Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū rú hé kòng zhì hé liè biàn.
    Scientists are researching how to control nuclear fission.
  • 核裂变。
    hé liè biàn Hé hé jù biàn shì liǎng zhǒng bù tóng de hé fǎn yìng.
    Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion are two different types of nuclear reactions.

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.

核hénucleus
裂变fission
裂lièsplit变biànchange
偏正Modifier + head

核 means nucleus and 裂变 means splitting; together they name nuclear fission.

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
亥
亥hài核hé
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

核 pairs 木, a tree, with 亥 to give its sound; it originally named a kind of tree, and its later meanings are borrowed.

Open 核 →

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
衣衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
列
列liè裂liè
Same sound today

裂 combines 衣 (clothes) with 列 for the sound. The picture of 列 shows bones cut by a blade and lined up, and the whole writes the idea of cutting and tearing clothes.

Open 裂 →

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 變; 变 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
䜌
䜌䜌變biàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 變 uses 䜌 as a sound part and 攴 as a meaning part.

Open 变 →

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