配电 (pèi diàn) — power distribution; electricity distribution

Definition

noun

power distributionelectricity distribution

配电。
Zhè ge chéng shì de pèi diàn xì tǒng fēi cháng xiān jìn.
This city's power distribution system is very advanced.
配电。
pèi diàn Shì diàn lì gōng chéng zhōng de zhòng yào huán jié.
Power distribution is an important part of electrical engineering.
配电。
Gōng sī fù zé zhěng gè qū yù de pèi diàn gōng zuò.
The company is responsible for the entire area's power distribution work.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

配pèidistribute

电diànelectricity

配 distribute and 电 electricity combine to mean distributing electricity.

Characters in this word

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

配 is formed by putting 酉, an alcohol vessel, next to 卩, a kneeling person. The reference gives these two parts, but not the reason they combine.

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 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

雨雨yǔrain

Sound part声符shēngfú

申

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.