转轴 (zhuàn zhóu) — (technical) axle, spin axis; (colloquial) idea, plan

Definition

转轴 is literally a spinning axis (technical: axle or rotation axis of a machine). Colloquially, it extends to mean a 'twist of the brain' — an idea or clever plan that suddenly turns in your head.

noun
(technical) axlespin axis(colloquial) ideaplan

Examples

  • 转轴，。
    Qì chē de zhuàn zhóu huài le, xū yào xiū lǐ.
    The car's axle is broken and needs repair.
  • 转轴。
    Tā nǎo zi lǐ tū rán mào chū yí gè xīn zhuàn zhóu.
    A new idea suddenly popped into his head.
  • 转轴。
    Zhè tái jī qì de zhuàn zhóu zhuàn sù hěn kuài.
    The spin axis of this machine rotates very fast.

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.

转zhuǎnturn
轴zhóuaxle

转轴 is the 轴 that 转, the turning axle or spin axis.

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 轉; 转 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān轉zhuǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 轉 combines 車, a carriage, with 專 as a sound part; the simplified 转 is a later shorthand.

Open 转 →

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 軸; 轴 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcart, carriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
由
由yóu軸zhóu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 軸 pairs 車 (cart) with a part that gives the sound, 由; it pictures an axle passing through a cartwheel. The simplified 轴 is a later abbreviation.

Open 轴 →

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