路轨 (lù guǐ) — rail; track (for trains or trams) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

railtrack (for trains or trams)

Measure word · 条

Examples

路轨。
Huǒ chē yán zhe lù guǐ píng wěn dì xíng shǐ.
The train runs smoothly along the track.
路轨。
Gōng rén men zhèng zài jiǎn xiū lù guǐ.
Workers are inspecting and repairing the track.
路轨。
Zhè duàn lù guǐ xū yào gēng huàn.
This section of track needs to be replaced.

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.

路 means road and 轨 means rail, giving rails for a route.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

各

各gè路lù

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

路 combines 足, a foot, with 各, which supplies the sound.

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 軌; 轨 is its simplified writing.

車九軌

Meaning part形符xíngfú

車車jū

Sound part声符shēngfú

九

九jiǔ軌guǐ

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 軌 pairs 車 (cart) with 九 as a sound part; the simplified 轨 is a later shorthand.

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