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直线 (zhí xiàn) — (noun) straight line; (adjective) sharp, steep (of an increase or decrease)

Definition

A 'straight line' as in geometry or a sharp, steep rise or fall. Compared to 线条 (a drawn or contour line), 直线 emphasizes geometric straightness, not artistic line work.

noun
straight line
adjective
sharpsteep (of an increase or decrease)
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 直线。
    Qǐng yòng chǐ zi huà yì tiáo zhí xiàn.
    Please draw a straight line with a ruler.
  • 直线。
    Zuì jìn wù jià zài zhí xiàn shàng zhǎng.
    Prices have been rising sharply recently.
  • ，直线。
    Shòu hán liú yǐng xiǎng, qì wēn zhí xiàn xià jiàng.
    Affected by the cold snap, the temperature dropped sharply.

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.

直zhístraight
线xiànline

直线 pairs 直 (straight) with 线 (line), so it denotes a straight line.

Characters in this word

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

The earliest form of 直 pairs 目, an eye, with an unclear stroke 丨.

Open 直 →

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 線; 线 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
泉
泉quán線xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 線 uses 糹 (silk/thread) to show the meaning and 泉 to suggest the sound; the simplified 线 is a later shorthand.

Open 线 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Shapes

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