电信局 (diàn xìn jú) — telecommunications bureau

Definition

noun
telecommunications bureau
Measure word · 家

Examples

  • 电信局。
    Wǒ míng tiān yào qù diàn xìn jú bàn yí gè kuān dài yè wù.
    I need to go to the telecom bureau tomorrow to handle a broadband service.
  • 电信局，。
    Tā zài diàn xìn jú gōng zuò, fù zé wǎng luò wéi hù.
    He works at the telecom bureau and is in charge of network maintenance.
  • 电信局？
    Qǐng wèn zuì jìn de diàn xìn jú zài nǎ lǐ?
    Excuse me, where is the nearest telecom bureau?

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.

电信telecommunications
电diànelectric信xìnmessage
偏正Modifier + head
局júbureau

“电信” joins electric and message, and “局” adds bureau, naming a telecommunications office.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn電diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Open 电 →

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
言言yánwords
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén信xìn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

信 pairs 人 as the sound part with 言 (words) as the meaning part.

Open 信 →

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
尸尸shī
Sound part声符shēngfú
句
句jù局jú
Same sound today

The shape of 局 pairs 尸, a meaning part, with 句, a sound part.

Open 局 →

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