电流 (diàn liú) — electric current

Definition

noun
electric current

Examples

  • 电流。
    Zhè zhǒng jīn shǔ de diàn liú hěn qiáng.
    This metal has a very strong electric current.
  • 电流。
    Wǒ men xū yào cè liáng diàn lù zhōng de diàn liú.
    We need to measure the electric current in the circuit.
  • 电流。
    Ān quán shǐ yòng diàn qì shí yào zhù yì diàn liú de dà xiǎo.
    When using electrical appliances safely, pay attention to the magnitude of the electric current.

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
流liúflow

“电” means electricity and “流” means flow, together electric current.

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㐬
㐬㐬流liú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

流 has 水, water, and 㐬, which gives the sound. The water part matches meanings such as flow.

Open 流 →
Appears in
Physics & Chemistry

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