激光器 (jī guāng qì) — laser (device)

Definition

noun

laser (device)

Measure word · 台

激光器。
Zhè tái jī guāng qì kě yǐ qiē gē jīn shǔ.
This laser can cut metal.
激光器。
Yī shēng yòng jī guāng qì zhì liáo yǎn jing.
The doctor uses a laser to treat eyes.
激光器。
Gōng chǎng lǐ xīn mǎi le yì tái jī guāng qì.
The factory bought a new laser.

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.

激光stimulated light

偏正Modifier + head

激光 refers to stimulated light, and 器 is a device, meaning a device that produces laser light.

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.

氵敫激

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

敫

敫jiǎo激jī

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 激, the 氵 side marks water, and 敫 gives the sound jiǎo; the original sense is water swashing.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 光 places 火 (fire) above 卩 (a kneeling person), showing fire over the head and the shining of light.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The origin of 器 is uncertain; one traditional account reads the whole shape as a scene of guarding over four vessels.

Appears in