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海里 (hǎi lǐ) — (measure word) nautical mile

Definition

A measure word for nautical miles (∼1.85 km), used for distances and speeds at sea. Distinct from 公里 (kilometres) — 海里 is the standard unit in maritime and aviation contexts.

classifier
nautical mile

Examples

  • 海里。
    Zhè piàn hǎi yù cóng dōng dào xī dà yuē wǔ shí hǎi lǐ.
    This sea area is about fifty nautical miles from east to west.
  • 海里。
    Zuì jìn de gǎng kǒu lí zhè lǐ hái yǒu yì bǎi duō hǎi lǐ.
    The nearest port is still over a hundred nautical miles from here.
  • 海里。
    Tā men de háng sù bǎo chí zài měi xiǎo shí shí èr hǎi lǐ zuǒ yòu.
    They maintain a speed of about twelve nautical miles per hour.

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.

海hǎisea
里lǐmile

海 (sea) and 里 (mile) combine to mean a mile at sea.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
每
每měi海hǎi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

海 pairs 氵 (water) with 每, which gives the sound. The 氵 side shows it is about water.

Open 海 →

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 裡; 里 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 里 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (里, 里面) it is 裡; in others (公里) it is 里 or 裏.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衤Written in full as衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ裡lǐ
Same sound today

The form 裡 pairs 衤 (clothes) with 里 as a sound component.

Open 里 →
Appears in
Units & Measurement

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