硬盘 (yìng pán) — hard disk | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

硬盘 is the 'hard disk' (the storage device inside a computer). It pairs with 硬件 (the broader category 'hardware'): 硬盘 is one specific piece of hardware.

noun

hard disk

Measure word · 块

Examples

硬盘，。
Wǒ de yìng pán huài le, xū yào huàn yí gè xīn de.
My hard disk is broken; I need to replace it with a new one.
硬盘。
Zhè tái diàn nǎo de yìng pán róng liàng hěn dà.
This computer's hard disk has a large capacity.
硬盘。
Qǐng bǎ zī liào bèi fèn dào wài jiē yìng pán shàng.
Please back up the data to an external hard disk.

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.

硬 means hard and 盘 means disk, so the word names a rigid disk.

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.

石更硬

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

更

更gèng硬yìng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

硬 is built from 石, meaning stone, to show hardness or stiffness, and 更, which gives the sound.

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 盤; 盘 is its simplified writing.

般皿盤

Meaning part形符xíngfú

皿皿mǐn

Sound part声符shēngfú

般

般bān盤pán

Same sound today

The traditional form 盤 pairs 般, which gives the sound, with 皿, a vessel. This note is about 盤, not the simplified 盘.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Computers & Internet

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