民意测验 (mín yì cè yàn) — public opinion poll

Definition

noun
public opinion poll

Examples

  • 民意测验，。
    Zhè xiàng mín yì cè yàn xiǎn shì, dà duō shù rén zhī chí zhè xiàng zhèng cè.
    This opinion poll shows that the majority of people support this policy.
  • 民意测验。
    Tā men zhèng zài zuò guān yú huán bǎo de mín yì cè yàn.
    They are conducting an opinion poll about environmental protection.
  • 民意测验。
    mín yì cè yàn De jié guǒ yào děng dào xià zhōu yī cái gōng bù.
    The results of the opinion poll won't be released until next Monday.

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.

民意public opinion
民mínpeople意yìopinion
偏正Modifier + head
测验test/verify
测cèmeasure/test验yànverify
联合Side by side

民 people, 意 opinion, 测 test, and 验 verify together mean a test of public opinion.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The early form of 民 shows an eye pierced by a sharp cross-shaped implement, possibly linked to an injured or unclear eye.

Open 民 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 意 →

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 測; 测 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
則
則zé測cè
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 測 combines 氵 (water) with 則 for the sound; it is explained as measuring the depth of water. The simplified 测 is a later shorthand.

Open 测 →

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 驗; 验 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎ
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān驗yàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 驗 pairs 馬 (horse) with 僉 for sound; the simplified 验 is a later abbreviation.

Open 验 →
Appears in
Society & Public Life

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