电离层 (diàn lí céng) — ionosphere | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

ionosphere

Examples

电离层。
Tài yáng huó dòng huì yǐng xiǎng diàn lí céng.
Solar activity affects the ionosphere.
电离层。
Kē xué jiā tōng guò wèi xīng yán jiū diàn lí céng de biàn huà.
Scientists study changes in the ionosphere via satellites.
电离层。
diàn lí céng Duì quán qiú tōng xìn fēi cháng guān jiàn.
The ionosphere is critical for global communication.

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.

电离ionization

电diànelectricity离líseparate

偏正Modifier + head

层cénglayer

电离 ionization and 层 layer combine for the ionosphere.

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 離; 离 is its simplified writing.

离隹離

Meaning part形符xíngfú

隹隹zhuībird

Sound part声符shēngfú

离

离lí離lí

Same sound today

The traditional form 離 pairs 隹, a bird, with the sound part 离; the simplified 离 is a shorthand. This form first wrote a black-naped oriole, and the sound was borrowed for 'leave'.

Open 离 →

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 層; 层 is its simplified writing.

尸曾層

Meaning part形符xíngfú

尸尸shī

Sound part声符shēngfú

曾

曾céng層céng

Same sound today

The traditional form 層 uses 尸 for the meaning and 曾 for the sound; the simplified 层 is a later abbreviation.

Open 层 →