离心力 (lí xīn lì) — centrifugal force; (figurative) factors that cause disunity or disloyalty

Definition

noun
centrifugal force(figurative) factors that cause disunity or disloyalty

Examples

  • 离心力。
    Xuán zhuǎn shí huì chǎn shēng lí xīn lì.
    Centrifugal force is generated during rotation.
  • 离心力。
    Zhè zhǒng lí xīn lì shǐ tuán duì shī qù le níng jù lì.
    This divisive force made the team lose its cohesion.
  • ，离心力。
    Zài wù lǐ xué zhōng, lí xīn lì shì yì zhǒng guàn xìng lì.
    In physics, centrifugal force is a type of inertial force.

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.

离心leave the center
离líleave心xīncenter
动宾Verb + object
力lìforce

离心 (leave the center) + 力 (force) = force directed away from the center.

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 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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 心 comes from a drawing of a heart, now highly stylized.

Open 心 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

力 is drawn as either an arm bending out from the side of the body or a wooden plough.

Open 力 →

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