电火花 (diàn huǒ huā) — electric spark | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

electric spark

Measure word · 个

Examples

电火花。
diàn huǒ huā Kě yǐ chǎn shēng gāo wēn.
Electric sparks can produce high temperatures.
电火花。
Zhè tái jī qì shǐ yòng diàn huǒ huā jìn xíng jiā gōng.
This machine uses electric sparks for processing.
电火花。
diàn huǒ huā Zài gōng yè zhōng yìng yòng hěn guǎng.
Electric sparks are widely used in industry.

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

火花spark

火huǒfire花huāflower

偏正Modifier + head

电 refers to electricity, and 火花 suggests a small bright burst of fire.

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.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

火 is a simple drawing of a fire, with flames shown rising upward.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

艹化花

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

化

Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

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