电
diàn
lightning
electricity; electric (bound form); to get (or give) an electric shock; phone call or telegram etc; to send via telephone or telegram etc
a picture of 电 → a lightning bolt with a forking tail
The character originally depicted a lightning bolt — a bright flash with a zigzagging downward strike. Electricity was later named after lightning when the concept arrived in modern Chinese, so the character carried its meaning forward naturally.
Words with 电
介电常数
jiè diàn cháng shù
dielectric constant
苹果电脑
píng guǒ diàn nǎo
Apple computer
通用电器
tōng yòng diàn qì
General Electric (GE)
通用电气
tōng yòng diàn qì
General Electric (GE)
邪典电影
xié diǎn diàn yǐng
cult film
邮电
yóu diàn
post and telecommunications
配电器
pèi diàn qì
distributor (automobile)
配电柜
pèi diàn guì
power cabinet
配电站
pèi diàn zhàn
power distribution substation
量子电动力学
liàng zǐ diàn dòng lì xué
quantum electrodynamics QED
铅酸蓄电池
qiān suān xù diàn chí
lead-acid accumulator
锂离子电池
lǐ lí zǐ diàn chí
lithium ion battery