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短距离 (duǎn jù lí) — short distance

Definition

Short distance, often paired with the contrastive long distance (长距离 / 长途). Used as a modifier in compound nouns like 短距离飞行 and 短距离赛跑.

noun
short distance

Examples

  • 短距离，。
    Tā měi tiān zhī pǎo duǎn jù lí, cóng bù cháng pǎo.
    He only runs short distances every day, never long-distance.
  • 短距离。
    duǎn jù lí Fēi xíng bǐ cháng tú fēi xíng gèng pín fán.
    Short-distance flights are more frequent than long-haul flights.
  • 短距离，。
    Zhè zhǒng shǒu jī shì hé duǎn jù lí tōng huà, xìn hào hěn wěn dìng.
    This type of phone is suitable for short-distance calls; the signal is very stable.

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.

短duǎnshort
距离distance
距jùdistance离líseparation
联合Coordinate

短 (short) + 距离 (distance): a small separation between points.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
矢矢shǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu短duǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

短 is built from 矢 and 豆. 豆 is used for its sound, while 矢 is the component linked to the meaning.

Open 短 →

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
足足zúfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
巨
巨jù距jù
Same sound today

距 puts 足, meaning foot, beside 巨, which gives its sound.

Open 距 →

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.

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 →
Appears in
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