表达式 (biǎo dá shì) — expression (mathematical, logical, or computational)

Definition

In Chinese STEM contexts, 表达式 refers to a mathematical, logical, or computational expression (e.g., an algebraic expression, a conditional in code) — narrower than the everyday English 'expression', which maps to 表达.

noun
expression (mathematical, logical, or computational)

Examples

  • 表达式？
    Zhè ge biǎo dá shì de yùn suàn jié guǒ shì duō shǎo?
    What is the result of this expression?
  • ，表达式。
    Zài biān chéng zhōng, tiáo jiàn biǎo dá shì yòng yú kòng zhì liú chéng.
    In programming, conditional expressions are used to control the flow.
  • 表达式。
    Jiǎn huà zhè ge dài shù biǎo dá shì xū yào yòng dào fēn pèi lǜ.
    Simplifying this algebraic expression requires the distributive law.

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.

表达express
表biǎoexpress达dáreach/express
联合Side by side
式shìform

表 and 达 both mean to express; 式 is a form, so 表达式 is the form of an expression.

Characters in this word

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

The shape 表 pairs 衣 (garment) with 毛 (hair or feather), originally an outer garment.

Open 表 →

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
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
大
大dà达dá
Same sound today

This form 达 pairs 辶 (written in full as 辵) with 大 as a sound component.

Open 达 →

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
工工gōngwork
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì式shì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

式 pairs 工, meaning work, with 弋, which gives the sound.

Open 式 →

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