逆时针 (nì shí zhēn) — counterclockwise

Definition

Adverb meaning 'counterclockwise' (literally 'against the clock hand'). Unlike an adjective, it directly modifies a verb to describe the direction of rotation.

adverb
counterclockwise

Examples

  • 逆时针。
    Qǐng àn nì shí zhēn fāng xiàng xuán zhuǎn zhè ge xuán niǔ.
    Please turn this knob counterclockwise.
  • 逆时针。
    Fēng shàn yè piàn zài nì shí zhēn zhuàn dòng.
    The fan blades are rotating counterclockwise.
  • 逆时针。
    Dì tú shàng de jiàn tóu zhǐ xiàng nì shí zhēn.
    The arrow on the map points counterclockwise.

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.

逆nìreverse
时针clock hand
时shítime针zhēnhand
偏正Modifier + head

逆 means reverse and 时针 means clock hand, so it denotes reverse direction of the clock hand.

Characters in this word

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

  • 辶辵chuòmovement
  • 屰屰nìgo against

The 辶 part shows movement, and 屰 gives the sound and the sense of going against, so the whole depicts moving in the opposite direction.

Open 逆 →

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 時; 时 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rìsun; day
Sound part声符shēngfú
之
之zhī時shí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 時 pairs 日 (sun/day) with 之 as the part that gives the sound; the simplified 时 is not the form described.

Open 时 →

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 針; 针 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
釒Written in full as金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
十
十shí針zhēn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 針 puts 釒, the metal side, beside 十, which gives the sound; 针 is a simplified shorthand.

Open 针 →

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