气象卫星 (qì xiàng wèi xīng) — meteorological satellite; weather satellite

Definition

noun
meteorological satelliteweather satellite
Measure word · 颗

Examples

  • 气象卫星。
    qì xiàng wèi xīng Kě yǐ wèi tiān qì yù bào tí gōng zhòng yào shù jù.
    Meteorological satellites can provide important data for weather forecasting.
  • 气象卫星。
    Zhōng guó chéng gōng fā shè le yì kē xīn de qì xiàng wèi xīng.
    China successfully launched a new meteorological satellite.
  • 气象卫星。
    Kē xué jiā lì yòng qì xiàng wèi xīng jiān cè tái fēng de biàn huà.
    Scientists use meteorological satellites to monitor changes in typhoons.

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.

气象weather
气qìair象xiàngphenomena
偏正Modifier + head
卫星satellite
卫wèiguard星xīngstar
偏正Modifier + head

The air and phenomena parts give weather, and the guard and star parts give satellite, so the word names a weather satellite.

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.

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.

Open 气 →

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

象 is drawn as an elephant, with a long trunk, a head, and a big body.

Open 象 →

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 衛; 卫 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
行行xíng
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi衛wèi
Same sound today

The traditional form 衛 is built from 行 as the sense part and 韋 as the sound part; the simplified 卫 is a shorthand.

Open 卫 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

The top of 星 is a later simplified form of 晶, twinkling stars; the bottom 生 shows the sound.

Open 星 →

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