电椅 (diàn yī) — electric chair | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

electric chair

Measure word · 把

Examples

电椅。
Zhè zuò jiān yù céng jīng shǐ yòng diàn yī zhí xíng sǐ xíng.
This prison once used the electric chair to carry out executions.
，电椅。
Zài diàn yǐng lǐ, tā bèi pàn chǔ zuò diàn yī.
In the movie, he was sentenced to the electric chair.
电椅。
Zhè zhǒng diàn yī shì èr shí shì jì chū fā míng de.
This type of electric chair was invented in the early twentieth century.

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

“电” (electricity) describes the kind of “椅” (chair), namely an electric chair.

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.

木奇椅

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

奇

奇qí椅yǐ

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

椅 combines 木 (wood) with 奇, which gives its sound.

Appears in

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