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水电 (shuǐ diàn) — water and electricity (as utilities, e.g. bills, supply); hydroelectric (power)

Definition

Refers to water and electricity as household utilities (bills, supply, included in rent) or to hydroelectric power generation. The utility sense is what you see on bills and in rental listings; the energy sense refers to power produced from water.

noun
water and electricity (as utilities, e.g. bills, supply)hydroelectric (power)

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè ge yuè de shuǐ diàn fèi bǐ shàng ge yuè gāo le bù shǎo.
    This month's water and electricity bills are quite a bit higher than last month's.
  • 水电。
    Xī nán dì qū yǒu fēng fù de shuǐ diàn zī yuán.
    The southwestern region has abundant hydroelectric resources.
  • 水电。
    Zū fáng shí yí dìng yào wèn qīng chǔ shì fǒu bāo hán shuǐ diàn.
    When renting a house, be sure to ask clearly whether water and electricity are included.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

水shuǐwater
电diànelectricity

“水” and “电” are paired utilities; together they also mean water-driven power.

Characters in this word

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

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

Open 水 →

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 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn電diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Open 电 →
Appears in
Energy & Power

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