负极 (fù jí) — negative electrode; cathode (electrical)

Definition

'Negative electrode / cathode' in batteries and electrical circuits. The opposite of 正极 ('positive electrode / anode'); in electrochemistry 负极 is where oxidation occurs.

noun
negative electrodecathode (electrical)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 负极。
    Diàn chí de fù jí shì zhòng yào de zǔ chéng bù fen.
    The negative electrode of a battery is an important component.
  • 负极。
    Diàn liú cóng zhèng jí liú xiàng fù jí.
    Current flows from the positive pole to the negative pole.
  • 负极。
    Shí yàn zhōng xū yào jiāng fù jí lián jiē hǎo.
    In the experiment, the cathode needs to be properly connected.

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.

负fùnegative
极jípole

负极 combines 负 'negative' and 极 'pole' to name a negative electrode.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 負; 负 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 負 combines 人 (person) and 貝 (cowry), with 人 written as ⺈; the simplified 负 is a later abbreviation.

Open 负 →

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
木木mùtree, wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí极jí
Same sound today

极 pairs 木 (tree, wood) with 及, which provides the sound.

Open 极 →

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