能源部 (néng yuán bù) — Department of Energy (or Ministry of Energy) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

Department of Energy (or Ministry of Energy)

Measure word · 个

Examples

能源部。
Tā zài néng yuán bù gōng zuò.
He works at the Department of Energy.
能源部。
néng yuán bù Zuì jìn fā bù le yí xiàng xīn zhèng cè.
The Department of Energy recently issued a new policy.
能源部。
néng yuán bù De fù zé rén jīn tiān jiē shòu le cǎi fǎng.
The head of the Department of Energy gave an interview today.

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.

能源energy source

能néngenergy源yuánsource

偏正Modifier + head

部bùdepartment

能源 names energy resources, and 部 is the department that handles them.

Characters in this word

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

能 is an old picture of a bear, showing two paws and a face with an open mouth.

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

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

原

原yuán源yuán

Same sound today

源 combines 水 (water) and 原 (origin): 水 points to water, and 原 gives the sound.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

咅

咅pǒu部bù

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

部 pairs 咅, which gives the sound, with 邑. It originally named a place in today's Gansu.

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