磁铁 (cí tiě) — magnet | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

magnet

Measure word · 块

磁铁。
Zhè kuài cí tiě xī zhù le hěn duō xiǎo tiě dīng.
This magnet has attracted many small iron nails.
磁铁。
Bīng xiāng shàng de cí tiě bǎ zhào piàn gù dìng zhù le.
The magnet on the fridge holds the photo in place.
磁铁。
Kē xué jiā yòng cí tiě yán jiū le cí chǎng.
Scientists used magnets to study magnetic fields.

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.

磁címagnetic

磁 means magnetic and 铁 means iron; together they refer to magnetic iron, a magnet.

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.

石兹磁

Meaning part形符xíngfú

石石shírock; stone

Sound part声符shēngfú

兹

Same sound today

磁 is built from 石, meaning rock or stone, and 兹, 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 鐵; 铁 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

𢧤

𢧤𢧤鐵tiě

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

The traditional form 鐵 pairs 金 (metal) with 𢧤 as a sound part; the simplified 铁 is a later shorthand.

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