About
The character "芯", denoting a core or wick, is structurally a phono-semantic compound that combines the grass radical with the character for heart, "心", which concurrently provides its phonetic value. This construction suggests an etymological origin linked to the pith or essential inner part of a plant, a conceptual basis from which its meaning expanded to include the fibrous central strand of a candle or lamp that sustains a flame. Over time, this sense of an internal, vital center proved adaptable, allowing the term to generalize beyond botanical or luminary contexts and come to signify the fundamental element of various objects, a semantic extension clearly visible in contemporary usage such as in the compound for semiconductor chip.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这个灯芯需要更换。
蜡烛的芯点着了。
芯片是电脑的核心。
这个处理器有八个芯。
他们研发了新型芯片。
芯子的质量决定寿命。
这款手机的芯片性能卓越。
工程师正在测试芯片的耐用性。