透射 (tòu shè) — (physics) to transmit, transmission (of waves through a medium)

Definition

Technical physics term: the transmission of waves (light, sound, etc.) passing through a medium, as opposed to being reflected or absorbed.

verb
(physics) to transmittransmission (of waves through a medium)

Examples

  • 透射。
    Zhè zhǒng bō li néng tòu shè zǐ wài xiàn.
    This type of glass can transmit ultraviolet rays.
  • 透射。
    Guāng de tòu shè lǜ yǔ cái liào hòu dù yǒu guān.
    The transmission rate of light is related to the thickness of the material.
  • 透射。
    Kē xué jiā yán jiū le shēng bō zài hǎi shuǐ zhōng de tòu shè.
    Scientists studied the transmission of sound waves in seawater.

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.

透tòuthrough
射shèradiate

透 (through) and 射 (radiate) combine to mean transmit through.

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
辵辵chuòwalking
Sound part声符shēngfú
秀
秀xiù透tòu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape 透 has 辵, a walking part, and 秀, which provides the sound.

Open 透 →

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

In 射, the left part comes from 弓 (bow) and 矢 (arrow), and the right part comes from a hand drawing the bowstring.

Open 射 →

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