里程表 (lǐ chéng biǎo) — odometer

Definition

noun
odometer
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 里程表。
    Zhè liàng chē de lǐ chéng biǎo xiǎn shì yǐ jīng kāi le shí wàn gōng lǐ.
    The odometer on this car shows it has already driven 100,000 kilometers.
  • 里程表。
    Chū fā qián bié wàng le jiǎn chá lǐ chéng biǎo.
    Don't forget to check the odometer before you set off.
  • 里程表，。
    Tā bǎ lǐ chéng biǎo guī líng, kāi shǐ jì lù xīn xíng chéng.
    He reset the odometer to zero and started recording the new trip.

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.

里程mileage
里lǐmile程chéngdistance
偏正Modifier + head
表biǎometer

里程 gives the distance covered, and 表 shows it as a meter.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 裡; 里 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 里 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (里, 里面) it is 裡; in others (公里) it is 里 or 裏.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衤Written in full as衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ裡lǐ
Same sound today

The form 裡 pairs 衤 (clothes) with 里 as a sound component.

Open 里 →

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
禾禾hégrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
呈
呈chéng程chéng
Same sound today

程 is made from 禾 (grain) and 呈 (pronounced chéng); the evidence gives measurements.

Open 程 →

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

The shape 表 pairs 衣 (garment) with 毛 (hair or feather), originally an outer garment.

Open 表 →

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