轴距 (zhóu jù) — wheelbase | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Technical term for the distance between the front and rear axles of a vehicle. A longer 轴距 improves stability; a shorter one improves agility in turns.

noun

wheelbase

Examples

轴距，。
Zhè liàng chē de zhóu jù hěn cháng, suǒ yǐ xíng shǐ hěn wěn dìng.
This car has a long wheelbase, so it drives very steadily.
轴距。
Duǎn zhóu jù de qì chē zhuǎn wān bǐ jiào líng huó.
Cars with a short wheelbase are more agile when turning.
轴距，。
Shè jì shī tiáo zhěng le zhóu jù, yǐ gǎi shàn chéng zuò shū shì dù.
The designer adjusted the wheelbase to improve ride comfort.

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.

轴zhóuaxle

距jùdistance

“轴” names an axle and “距” names a distance, so the word means the distance between axles.

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 軸; 轴 is its simplified writing.

車由軸

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 →

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

足足zúfoot

Sound part声符shēngfú

巨

巨jù距jù

Same sound today

距 puts 足, meaning foot, beside 巨, which gives its sound.

Open 距 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.