特快车 (tè kuài chē) — express train; express bus

Definition

noun
express trainexpress bus
Measure word · 辆

Examples

  • 特快车，。
    Wǒ zuò tè kuài chē qù shàng hǎi, zhǐ yào sì gè xiǎo shí.
    I take the express train to Shanghai; it only takes four hours.
  • 特快车。
    Zhè tàng tè kuài chē bǐ pǔ tōng chē kuài duō le.
    This express train is much faster than a regular train.
  • 特快车，。
    tè kuài chē De piào jià guì yì xiē, dàn jié shěng shí jiān.
    The ticket price for the express bus is a bit higher, but it saves time.

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.

特快express
特tèspecial快kuàifast
偏正Modifier + head
车chēvehicle

Specially fast vehicle means an express train or bus.

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
牛牛niúox
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì特tè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape combines 牛 (ox) with 寺, which gives the pronunciation; it originally meant a large bull.

Open 特 →

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
忄Written in full as心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
夬
夬guài快kuài
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

快 pairs the left part 忄 (full form 心, the heart) with the right part 夬, which gives the sound.

Open 快 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 車; 车 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 車 was drawn as a carriage seen from above, with wheels on both sides and a shaft at the front; the simplified 车 is a later shorthand.

Open 车 →

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