测速 (cè sù) — to measure speed

Definition

verb
to measure speed

Examples

  • 测速。
    Jǐng chá yòng léi dá cè sù.
    The police use radar to measure speed.
  • 测速。
    Zhè ge ruǎn jiàn kě yǐ cè sù wǎng luò.
    This software can measure internet speed.
  • 测速。
    Bǐ sài qián xū yào cè sù fēng sù.
    Before the competition, you need to measure wind speed.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

测cèmeasure
速sùspeed

测, 'measure', and 速, 'speed', combine to mean 'to measure speed'.

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 測; 测 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
則
則zé測cè
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 測 combines 氵 (water) with 則 for the sound; it is explained as measuring the depth of water. The simplified 测 is a later shorthand.

Open 测 →

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
辵辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
束
束shù速sù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

速 pairs 辵, the walking part, with 束, which is used for its sound; the walking part fits the meaning of moving fast.

Open 速 →

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