缩微胶片 (suō wēi jiāo piàn) — microfilm; microfiche

Definition

noun

microfilmmicrofiche

Measure word · 张

Examples

缩微胶片。
Tú shū guǎn yòng suō wēi jiāo piàn bǎo cún le jiù bào zhǐ.
The library used microfilm to preserve old newspapers.
缩微胶片。
Zhè xiē suō wēi jiāo piàn xū yào fàng zài gān zào de dì fāng.
These microfiches need to be stored in a dry place.
缩微胶片。
Tā zhèng zài yòng jī qì chá kàn suō wēi jiāo piàn shàng de zī liào.
He is using a machine to view the materials on the microfilm.

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.

缩微shrink small

缩suōshrink微wēismall

补充Verb + complement

胶片film

胶jiāorubber片piànsheet

偏正Modifier + head

The 胶片 film is 缩微, shrunk small, so it can store tiny images.

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 縮; 缩 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìstring, thread

Sound part声符shēngfú

宿

宿sù縮suō

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

The traditional form 縮 pairs 糸 (string, thread) with 宿, which gives the sound; the simplified 缩 is a shorthand.

Open 缩 →

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

𡵂攵微

𡵂美měi
攵攴pūhand with tool

The old form showed 𡵂 (a variant of 美, a person with long hair) and 攵 (a hand with a tool) splitting or combing hairs, hence minute; 微 later added 彳 to emphasize action.

Open 微 →

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 膠; 胶 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat; flesh

Sound part声符shēngfú

翏

翏liù膠jiāo

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

The traditional form 膠 pairs ⺼ (meat; flesh) with 翏, which gives the sound.

Open 胶 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.