气团 (qì tuán) — air mass (meteorology)

Definition

noun

air mass (meteorology)

Measure word · 个

气团。
Zhè ge qì tuán dài lái le lěng kōng qì.
This air mass has brought cold air.
气团。
Qì xiàng xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū zhè ge qì tuán de yí dòng.
Meteorologists are studying the movement of this air mass.
气团。
Liǎng gè qì tuán xiāng yù shí huì chǎn shēng tiān qì biàn huà.
When two air masses meet, weather changes will occur.

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.

“气” (air) and “团” (mass) combine to mean a large body of air.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

气米氣

Meaning part形符xíngfú

米米mǐrice

Sound part声符shēngfú

气

Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

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 團; 团 is its simplified writing.

囗專團

Meaning part形符xíngfú

囗囗wéi

Sound part声符shēngfú

專

專zhuān團tuán

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The form 團 combines 囗 as a meaning part with 專 as a sound part; the story is about 團, not about 团.