舱位 (cāng wèi) — cabin seat or berth (on a ship, plane, or train); shipping space (cargo capacity on a vessel)

Definition

舱位 covers both passenger cabin seats/berths (on ship, plane, or train) and cargo shipping space on a vessel. 舱 is the physical space; 位 is the measure for one's place in it.

noun
cabin seat or berth (on a ship, plane, or train)shipping space (cargo capacity on a vessel)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 舱位。
    Chuán shàng de cāng wèi yǐ jīng dìng wán le.
    The cabin seats on the ship are all booked.
  • 。
    Tóu děng cāng wèi de jià gé guì hěn duō.
    The price of first-class cabin seats is much higher.
  • 舱位。
    Zhè cì yùn shū de cāng wèi yǐ jīng quán bù yù dìng le.
    The shipping space for this transport has all been booked.

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.

舱cāngcabin/hold
位wèiseat/space

The 舱 cabin and 位 seat/space make the cabin space or berth.

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 艙; 舱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
舟舟zhōuboat
Sound part声符shēngfú
倉
倉cāng艙cāng
Same sound today

The traditional form 艙 has 舟 (boat) and 倉, and 倉 is used for the sound. The simplified 舱 is a later shorthand.

Open 舱 →

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
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
立
立lì位wèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

位 combines 人 (man), related to people, with 立, which gives the sound. It was often simply written as 立.

Open 位 →

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