焦距 (jiāo jù) — focal length | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

focal length

Examples

焦距。
Tiáo zhěng jiāo jù kě yǐ ràng huà miàn gèng qīng xī.
Adjusting the focal length can make the image clearer.
焦距50。
Zhè zhī jìng tóu de jiāo jù shì 50 háo mǐ.
The focal length of this lens is 50 millimeters.
焦距。
Pāi shè fēng jǐng shí cháng yòng duǎn jiāo jù.
Short focal lengths are often used for shooting landscapes.

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.

距jùdistance

焦 gives the focus and 距 the distance, together meaning focal length.

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

隹隹zhuībird

Sound part声符shēngfú

小

小xiǎo焦jiāo

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 焦 glyph first paired 隹 (bird) with 小 as a sound part. The 小 part later changed into a fire shape, and the character was then used for scorching.

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

足足zúfoot

Sound part声符shēngfú

巨

巨jù距jù

Same sound today

距 puts 足, meaning foot, beside 巨, which gives its sound.

Appears in

Photography & Design

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