正切 (zhèng qiē) — tangent (trigonometry)

Definition

noun
tangent (trigonometry)

Examples

  • ，正切。
    Zài zhí jiǎo sān jiǎo xíng zhōng, zhèng qiē děng yú duì biān bǐ lín biān.
    In a right triangle, the tangent equals the opposite side over the adjacent side.
  • 正切0.5。
    Zhè ge jiǎo de zhèng qiē zhí shì 0. 5.
    The tangent value of this angle is 0.5.
  • 正切。
    Tā yòng jì suàn qì suàn chū le zhèng qiē hán shù de zhí.
    He used a calculator to compute the value of the tangent function.

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.

正zhèngdirect
切qiètangent

正 indicates the direct sense, and 切 indicates the tangent sense, together naming the trigonometric tangent.

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
止止zhǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng正zhèng
Same sound today

正 pairs 止 with 丁; 止 marks the sense and 丁 gives the sound.

Open 正 →

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
刀刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
七
七qī切qiè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 切, the 刀 (knife) part is joined to 七, which gives the sound.

Open 切 →

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