触发器 (chù fā qì) — trigger (device or mechanism that initiates a process)

Definition

noun
trigger (device or mechanism that initiates a process)
Measure word ·

Examples

  • 触发器
    Zhè ge chù fā qì kòng zhì zhe zhěng gè xì tǒng de qǐ dòng.
    This trigger controls the startup of the entire system.
  • 触发器
    Diàn lù zhōng de chù fā qì yí bèi jī huó, jǐng bào jiù huì xiǎng qǐ.
    Once the trigger in the circuit is activated, the alarm will sound.
  • 触发器
    Chéng xù yuán zài dài mǎ lǐ shè zhì le yí gè chù fā qì.
    The programmer set up a trigger in the code.

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.

触发trigger
chùtouchactivate
补充Verb + complement
device

A 触发器 is a device for triggering: 触发 means to trigger and 器 means device.

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 觸; 触 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
shǔchù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 觸 uses 角 for the meaning and 蜀 for the sound; the simplified 触 is a later shorthand.

Open 触 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →

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

The origin of 器 is uncertain; one traditional account reads the whole shape as a scene of guarding over four vessels.

Open 器 →

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