等值 (děng zhí) — equal value; equivalence

Definition

noun
equal valueequivalence

Examples

  • 等值，。
    Zhè liǎng zhǒng shāng pǐn de děng zhí xiāng tóng, kě yǐ hù huàn.
    These two products have equal value and can be exchanged.
  • ，等值。
    Zài shù xué shàng, děng zhí biǎo shì liǎng gè liáng xiāng děng.
    In mathematics, equivalence means two quantities are equal.
  • 等值。
    Huò bì de děng zhí suí zhe shì chǎng biàn huà ér bō dòng.
    The equal value of currency fluctuates with market changes.

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.

等děngequal
值zhívalue

'等' means equal and '值' means value, so together they denote equal value.

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
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì等děng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The top 竹 shows bamboo strips used for writing and sorting; the bottom 寺 once gave the sound, but now sounds different.

Open 等 →

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
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
直
直zhí值zhí
Same sound today

值 is made from 亻 (written in full as 人, a person) and 直, with 直 giving the sound.

Open 值 →

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