弧

hú

弓 + 瓜

Definitions

hú arc

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 弓 represents the meaning and 瓜 represents the sound.

Semantic: 弓 Phonetic: 瓜

About

弧 is a phono-semantic compound: the semantic component 弓 means 'bow', and the phonetic component 瓜 (melon) gives the sound. It originally referred to a wooden bow used as a weapon. Over time, the meaning shifted from the physical weapon to the curved shape of a bent bow, an arc. In modern usage, 弧 denotes any curved line, such as a mathematical arc, an electrical arc, or a segment of a circle, reflecting its evolution from a concrete noun to a geometric term.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这是一个圆弧。

Zhè shì yī gè yuán hú.

This is a circular arc.

他画了一个弧形。

Tā huà le yī gè hú xíng.

He drew an arc shape.

彩虹的形状是弧形的。

Cǎihóng de xíngzhuàng shì húxíng de.

The shape of a rainbow is arc-shaped.

飞机在天空划出一道弧线。

Fēijī zài tiānkōng huá chū yī dào hú xiàn.

The airplane drew an arc line in the sky.

电工正在修理电弧炉。

Diàngōng zhèngzài xiūlǐ diàn hú lú.

The electrician is repairing the electric arc furnace.

这幅画中的弧形构图很巧妙。

Zhè fú huà zhōng de húxíng gòutú hěn qiǎomiào.

The arc composition in this painting is very clever.

在几何学中，弧是圆的一部分。

Zài jǐhéxué zhōng, hú shì yuán de yī bùfen.

In geometry, an arc is part of a circle.

通过计算，我们确定了最优发射弧线。

Tōngguò jìsuàn, wǒmen quèdìng le zuì yōu fāshè húxiàn.

Through calculation, we determined the optimal launch arc.

Related Characters

Component: 弓

Component: 瓜

弧