电厂 (diàn chǎng) — electric power plant | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

electric power plant

Measure word · 座

Examples

电厂。
Zhè zuò diàn chǎng wèi zhěng gè chéng shì gōng diàn.
This power plant supplies electricity to the entire city.
。
Tā men zhèng zài jiàn shè yí zuò xīn de hé diàn chǎng.
They are building a new nuclear power plant.
。
Nà jiā diàn chǎng de gōng rén měi tiān dōu zài jiǎn chá shè bèi.
The workers at that power plant check the equipment every day.

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diànelectricity

厂chǎngplant/factory

电 is electricity, and 厂 is a plant or factory, giving an electric power plant.

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.

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 廠; 厂 is its simplified writing.

广敞廠

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

敞

敞chǎng廠chǎng

Same sound today

The traditional form 廠 combines 广 with 敞, which gives the sound; the simplified 厂 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

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