棱镜 (léng jìng) — prism | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

prism

Measure word · 个

棱镜。
léng jìng Kě yǐ bǎ bái guāng fēn jiě chéng qī zhǒng yán sè.
A prism can split white light into seven colors.
棱镜。
Zhè ge léng jìng shí yàn ràng wǒ men kàn dào le guāng de zhé shè.
This prism experiment let us see the refraction of light.
棱镜。
Tā xǐ huan yòng léng jìng lái bǐ yù wén huà de duō yàng xìng.
He likes to use a prism as a metaphor for cultural diversity.

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.

棱léngedge or angle

镜jìnglens or mirror

棱 means edge or angle and 镜 means lens or mirror, so it is a prism.

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.

木夌棱

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

夌

夌líng棱léng

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

棱 pairs 木, a tree/wood shape, with 夌, which gives the sound.

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 鏡; 镜 is its simplified writing.

金竟鏡

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

竟

Same sound today

The traditional form 鏡 puts 金, metal, next to 竟 to give the sound. The simplified 镜 is a later shorthand.