音速 (yīn sù) — speed of sound | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

speed of sound

音速。
Zhè jià fēi jī de sù dù yǐ jīng chāo guò le yīn sù.
This aircraft's speed has already exceeded the speed of sound.
音速340。
yīn sù Zài kōng qì zhōng dà yuē shì měi miǎo 340 mǐ.
The speed of sound in air is about 340 meters per second.
音速。
Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū rú hé tū pò yīn sù.
Scientists are researching how to break the sound barrier.

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.

音 means sound and 速 means speed; together they name the speed at which sound travels.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

音 adds a short stroke that seals the mouth-like part, showing a covered or muffled sound rather than speech.

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

辵辵chuò

Sound part声符shēngfú

束

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

速 pairs 辵, the walking part, with 束, which is used for its sound; the walking part fits the meaning of moving fast.

Appears in