赤纬 (chì wěi) — (astronomy) declination

Definition

One of the two coordinates in the equatorial celestial coordinate system, measuring a celestial body's angular distance north (+) or south (−) of the celestial equator (0–90°). Pairs with 赤经 (right ascension), analogous to latitude on Earth.

noun
(astronomy) declination

Examples

  • 赤纬。
    Tiān wén xué jiā zhèng zài cè liáng zhè kē héng xīng de chì wěi.
    Astronomers are measuring the declination of this star.
  • 赤纬。
    chì wěi Hé chì jīng shì tiān wén zuò biāo dì liǎng gè zhòng yào cān shù.
    Declination and right ascension are two important parameters of astronomical coordinates.
  • 赤纬90。
    Běi jí xīng de chì wěi dà yuē shì 90 dù.
    The declination of Polaris is approximately 90 degrees.

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.

赤chìequatorial
纬wěilatitude

赤 (equatorial) plus 纬 (latitude) names the angle measured from the celestial equator.

Characters in this word

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

赤 is a stylized form showing 大 (a person) and 火 (fire), depicting a person by a fire.

Open 赤 →

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 緯; 纬 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi緯wěi
Same sound today

The traditional form 緯 has 糸, thread, on the left and 韋 on the right for the sound. The simplified 纬 is a later shorthand.

Open 纬 →

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