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电波 (diàn bō) — radio wave; electromagnetic wave (especially radio-frequency)

Definition

noun
radio waveelectromagnetic wave (especially radio-frequency)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 电波。
    diàn bō De sù dù fēi cháng kuài.
    The speed of radio waves is very fast.
  • 电波。
    Shǒu jī kào diàn bō chuán xìn xī.
    Mobile phones rely on radio waves to transmit information.
  • 电波。
    Tā zhèng zài yán jiū diàn bō jì shù.
    He is researching radio wave technology.

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diànelectric
波bōwave

电 'electric' and 波 'wave' combine to mean an electromagnetic wave.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
皮
皮pí波bō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 氵 is water, and the right side 皮 gives the sound.

Open 波 →
Appears in
Phones & Telecom

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