西经 (xī jīng) — west longitude | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

West longitude on a map or globe, measured in degrees west of the Prime Meridian. Pair it with 东经 for east longitude when giving a location.

noun

west longitude

西经20。
Zhè tiáo xiàn shì xī jīng 20 dù.
This line is 20 degrees west longitude.
西经。
xī jīng Hé dōng jīng dōu shì dì tú shàng de zhòng yào biāo zhì.
Both west longitude and east longitude are important markings on maps.
西经？
Zhè ge chéng shì de xī jīng shì duō shǎo dù?
What is the west longitude of this city?

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.

经jīnglongitude

西 gives the west side and 经 gives the longitude line, so the word means a west longitude.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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 經; 经 is its simplified writing.

糹巠經

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糹Written in full as糸mìsilk; thread

Sound part声符shēngfú

巠

巠jīng經jīng

Same sound today

The traditional form 經 combines 糹 (silk; thread) with 巠, which gives the sound.