驱动器 (qū dòng qì) — (computer) drive, disk drive

Definition

noun
(computer) drivedisk drive
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 驱动器。
    Zhè ge qū dòng qì de dú xiě sù dù fēi cháng kuài.
    This drive has very fast read and write speeds.
  • 驱动器。
    Qǐng bǎ guāng pán fàng jìn qū dòng qì lǐ.
    Please put the disc into the drive.
  • 驱动器。
    Xì tǒng tí shì wǒ gé shì huà qū dòng qì.
    The system prompted me to format the drive.

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.

驱动drive
驱qūdrive动dòngmove
补充Verb + complement
器qìdevice

驱 gives driving, 动 gives movement, 器 gives device, so 驱动器 is a device that drives.

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 驅; 驱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎhorse
Sound part声符shēngfú
區
區qū驅qū
Same sound today

The traditional form 驅 pairs 馬 (horse) with 區 as a sound part; simplified 驱 is a later shorthand.

Open 驱 →

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

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

The origin of 器 is uncertain; one traditional account reads the whole shape as a scene of guarding over four vessels.

Open 器 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.