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积分 (jī fēn) — (academic) credits; points (in a loyalty program); (mathematics) integral

Definition

积分 (jīfēn) means 'points' — credits earned (in school or loyalty programs) and the mathematical 'integral'. Same word covers both; context tells you which.

noun
(academic) creditspoints (in a loyalty program)(mathematics) integral

Examples

  • ，积分。
    Tā zhè xué qī xiū le sān mén kè, huò dé le bù shǎo jī fēn.
    He took three courses this semester and earned many credits.
  • 积分。
    Yòng jī fēn kě yǐ duì huàn miǎn fèi jī piào.
    You can exchange points for free airline tickets.
  • 积分。
    jī fēn Shì gāo děng shù xué zhōng de yí gè zhòng yào gài niàn.
    The integral is an important concept in advanced mathematics.

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.

积jīaccumulated
分fēnpoints

积 conveys accumulated and 分 means points, together giving accumulated points or credits.

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 積; 积 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hé
Sound part声符shēngfú
責
責zé積jī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 積 pairs 禾 (grain) with 責, which gives the sound; the simplified 积 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 积 →

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

分 pairs 八 (to separate) with 刀 (knife), showing something cut apart with a knife.

Open 分 →
Appears in
MathSchool & Education

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