阀门 (fá mén) — valve (mechanical) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A valve in a plumbing or mechanical system. 门 here is just 'gate' as a physical opening — not the everyday 'door' 门 you meet at HSK 2.

noun

valve (mechanical)

Measure word · 个

阀门。
Qǐng bǎ rè shuǐ qì de fá mén dǎ kāi.
Please open the valve on the water heater.
阀门，。
Zhè ge fá mén huài le, xū yào huàn yí gè xīn de.
This valve is broken and needs to be replaced with a new one.
阀门。
Guǎn dào gōng zhèng zài jiǎn chá měi gè fá mén.
The plumber is checking every valve.

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.

阀fáflow-control device

阀 refers to a device that controls flow, and 门 refers to a gate or door-like part; together they name a mechanical valve.

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 閥; 阀 is its simplified writing.

門伐閥

Meaning part形符xíngfú

門門mén

Sound part声符shēngfú

伐

Same sound today

The traditional form 閥 combines 門, a gate, with 伐 to give the sound; the simplified 阀 is a later shorthand.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 門; 门 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 門 pictures a gate as two door shapes side by side; the simplified 门 is a later shorthand.

Appears in