电气化 (diàn qì huà) — to electrify

Definition

Electrification — to supply a region or system (railway, village, industry) with electric power. The -化 suffix turns the noun 电气 ('electricity') into a process verb, often appearing in formal or technical contexts.

verb
to electrify

Examples

  • 电气化。
    Zhè ge dì qū yǐ jīng diàn qì huà le.
    This area has been electrified.
  • 电气化。
    Tā men jì huà diàn qì huà zhěng gè cūn zhuāng.
    They plan to electrify the entire village.
  • 电气化。
    diàn qì huà Tiě lù dà dà tí gāo le yùn shū xiào lǜ.
    Electrified railways greatly improved transport efficiency.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

电气electric power
电diànelectricity气qìpower
偏正Modifier + head
化huàbecome

电气 (electric power) plus 化 (become) gives the sense to electrify.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

化 shows two person figures, one upright and one upside down, to give the idea of reversal or change.

Open 化 →

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