通讯卫星 (tōng xùn wèi xīng) — communication satellite

Definition

noun
communication satellite
Measure word · 颗

Examples

  • ，通讯卫星。
    Shàng ge yuè, gōng sī fā shè le yì kē tōng xùn wèi xīng.
    Last month, the company launched a communication satellite.
  • 通讯卫星。
    tōng xùn wèi xīng Kě yǐ bǎ xìn hào chuán dào shì jiè gè dì.
    Communication satellites can transmit signals to all over the world.
  • 通讯卫星，。
    Méi yǒu tōng xùn wèi xīng, wǒ men jiù wú fǎ jìn xíng yuǎn jù lí tōng xìn.
    Without communication satellites, we cannot communicate over long distances.

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.

通讯transmit messages
通tōngtransmit讯xùnmessage
动宾Verb + object
卫星satellite
卫wèiguard星xīngstar
偏正Modifier + head

通讯 refers to transmitting messages and 卫星 is an orbiting star-like body; together they name a satellite for communication.

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
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng通tōng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

通 pairs 辶, a part associated with movement, with 甬, which gives the sound.

Open 通 →

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 訊; 讯 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
卂
卂xùn訊xùn
Same sound today

The traditional form 訊 combines 言 (words) with 卂 as a sound part; the simplified 讯 is a shorthand.

Open 讯 →

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 衛; 卫 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
行行xíng
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi衛wèi
Same sound today

The traditional form 衛 is built from 行 as the sense part and 韋 as the sound part; the simplified 卫 is a shorthand.

Open 卫 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

The top of 星 is a later simplified form of 晶, twinkling stars; the bottom 生 shows the sound.

Open 星 →

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