雷电 (léi diàn) — thunder and lightning

Definition

noun

thunder and lightning

雷电。
Zuó wǎn de léi diàn ràng zhěng gè chéng shì tíng diàn le.
Last night's thunder and lightning caused a citywide blackout.
雷电。
léi diàn Tiān qì zuì hǎo bú yào chū mén.
It's best not to go out in thunder and lightning weather.
雷电。
Tā cóng xiǎo jiù hài pà léi diàn.
He has been afraid of thunder and lightning since childhood.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

电diànlightning

雷电 joins 雷, thunder, and 电, lightning, as a natural pair.

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

雨雨yǔrain

Sound part声符shēngfú

畾

畾léi雷léi

Same sound today

The top 雨 (rain) points to the meaning, and the bottom 畾 gives the sound.

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.

Appears in