通讯员 (tōng xùn yuán) — reporter, (press) correspondent

Definition

noun
reporter(press) correspondent
Measure word · 名

Examples

  • 通讯员。
    Tā shì yì míng yōu xiù de tōng xùn yuán.
    He is an excellent reporter.
  • 通讯员。
    Zhè wèi tōng xùn yuán cóng běi jīng fā lái le zuì xīn xiāo xi.
    This correspondent sent the latest news from Beijing.
  • 通讯员。
    Hěn duō tōng xùn yuán dōu qù le zāi qū cǎi fǎng.
    Many reporters went to the disaster area to cover the story.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

通讯communicating messages
通tōngcommunicate讯xùnmessage
动宾Verb + object
员yuánperson

通讯 refers to communicating messages, and 员 means the person who does that work.

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 員; 员 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鼎鼎dǐngding
Sound part声符shēngfú
〇
〇líng員yuán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 員, 〇 supplies the sound and 鼎 supplies the meaning; the simplified 员 is a shortened form.

Open 员 →
Appears in
Media & NewsProfessions & Jobs

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