核装置 (hé zhuāng zhì) — nuclear device

Definition

noun
nuclear device
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 核装置。
    Zhè ge guó jiā zhèng zài yán fā xīn xíng hé zhuāng zhì.
    This country is developing a new type of nuclear device.
  • 核装置。
    Tā men chéng gōng yǐn bào le dì yī gè hé zhuāng zhì.
    They successfully detonated the first nuclear device.
  • 核装置。
    Guó jì shè huì hū yù xiāo huǐ suǒ yǒu hé zhuāng zhì.
    The international community calls for the destruction of all nuclear devices.

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hénuclear
装置device
装zhuānginstall置zhìplace
联合Side by side

核 means nuclear and 装置 names a device assembled and placed.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 裝; 装 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衣衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
壯
壯zhuàng裝zhuāng
Same sound today

The traditional form 裝 pairs 衣 (clothes) with 壯 as a sound part; this story is about 裝, not the simplified 装.

Open 装 →

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
罒Written in full as网wǎng
Sound part声符shēngfú
直
直zhí置zhì
Same sound today

置 is built from 罒, a net, on top and 直 below; 直 gives the sound.

Open 置 →

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