气缸 (qì gāng) — cylinder (in an engine) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

cylinder (in an engine)

Measure word · 个

Easily confused

汽缸qì gānglook-alikecylinder (in engines, such as steam or internal combustion engines)

Examples

气缸。
Qì chē fā dòng jī yǒu sì gè qì gāng.
The car engine has four cylinders.
气缸。
Zhè ge qì gāng xū yào dìng qī jiǎn chá.
This cylinder needs regular inspection.
气缸。
Gōng rén zhèng zài xiū lǐ qì gāng.
The worker is repairing the cylinder.

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.

缸gāngcylinder

气 means air or gas and 缸 means cylinder, together naming a gas-filled cylinder in an engine.

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.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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