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节能 (jié néng) — to save energy

Definition

节 focuses on energy specifically. 节约 is broader, covering money, time, food, and other resources; 节省 is close in meaning, often used for money or time.

verb
to save energy

Examples

  • 节能。
    Zhèng fǔ gǔ lì dà jiā jié néng huán bǎo.
    The government encourages everyone to save energy and protect the environment.
  • 节能。
    Zhè zhǒng jié néng jì shù chéng běn hěn dī.
    This kind of energy-saving technology has very low cost.
  • 节能。
    Wǒ men gōng sī zhèng zài tuī xíng jié néng jì huà.
    Our company is implementing an energy-saving plan.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

节jiésave
能néngenergy

'节' means to save, '能' means energy, so the word denotes saving energy.

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 節; 节 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺮Written in full as竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
即
即jí節jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 節 pairs ⺮ (bamboo) with 即, which gives the sound; the bamboo part points to a node of bamboo. The simplified 节 is a later abbreviation.

Open 节 →

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.

Open 能 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Energy & Power

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