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瓦特 (wǎ tè) — (classifier) watt (unit of power)

Definition

Classifier for the unit 'watt' (功率): 一百瓦特 = 100 W. Borrowed directly from the English word "watt," used in technical contexts like light bulbs, speakers, and heaters.

classifier
watt (unit of power)

Examples

  • 瓦特。
    Zhè ge dēng pào shì liù shí wǎ tè de.
    This light bulb is 60 watts.
  • 瓦特。
    Wǒ jiā yīn xiǎng de gōng lǜ shì wǔ bǎi wǎ tè.
    The power of my stereo is 500 watts.
  • 瓦特。
    Tā mǎi le yí gè yì qiān wǎ tè de diàn nuǎn qì.
    He bought a 1000-watt electric heater.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

瓦’s shape is a picture of fired earthenware pottery or a tile.

Open 瓦 →

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.

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Appears in
Units & Measurement

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