气流 (qì liú) — airflow, stream of air | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A moving stream of air — a technical/physical term, not the everyday 'air' of 空气. Pairs with 流向 to describe the course of moving air or water (cf. 水流 for water currents).

noun

airflowstream of air

Measure word · 股

Examples

气流，。
Jīn tiān de qì liú hěn qiáng, bú shì hé fēi xíng.
Today's airflow is very strong, not suitable for flying.
气流。
Yī shēng jiǎn chá le wǒ bí zi lǐ de qì liú.
The doctor checked the airflow in my nose.
气流。
Zhè ge jī qì kě yǐ cè liáng fáng jiān lǐ de qì liú.
This machine can measure the airflow in the room.

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.

流liúflow/current

气 (air) and 流 (flow/current) combine to mean a stream 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

气qì氣qì

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

㐬

㐬㐬流liú

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

流 has 水, water, and 㐬, which gives the sound. The water part matches meanings such as flow.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Physics & Chemistry

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