Chinese word

短路

Pronunciation

Pinyinduǎn lù

Meaning

  • verbshort-circuit

Example

这台老电视经常短路。zhè tái lǎo diàn shì jīng cháng duǎn lù

This old TV often short-circuits.

Illustration for 短路 (short-circuit)

More examples

昨晚雷雨时，电线就短路了。zuó wǎn léi yǔ shí diàn xiàn jiù duǎn lù le

The wires short-circuited during last night's thunderstorm.

Core concept

An abnormal shortcut for electricity makes energy gather in one place and can cause heat, sparks, or a tripped breaker; figuratively, a system or mind can halt without warning.

Common phrases

  • 电线短路diàn xiàn duǎn lù

    electrical wires short-circuit

  • 电路短路diàn lù duǎn lù

    electrical circuits short-circuit

  • 电器短路diàn qì duǎn lù

    electrical appliances short-circuit

Similar words

故障gù zhàng: A machine or electrical device stops working properly because of a fault.
漏电lòu diàn: Electricity flows through an unintended path because of faulty insulation.
跳闸tiào zhá: A circuit's protective device trips and cuts off the power.

Definition in Chinese

指电流通过异常短的通路集中流动并引起发热、火花或跳闸，亦可口语化为某物或某人突然出故障或反应停顿。zhǐ diàn liú tōng guò yì cháng duǎn de tōng lù jí zhōng liú dòng bìng yín qǐ fā rè huǒ huā huò tiào zhá yì kě kóu yǔ huà wèi mǒu wù huò mǒu rén tū rán chū gù zhàng huò fǎn yìng tíng dùn

Word origin

短路 (duǎnlù, "short-circuit") is built from 短 (duǎn, "short") + 路 (lù, "route"), so its structure presents the fault as electricity using a short route.

Usage tips

  • The word works naturally in quick reports about malfunctioning electronics, where Chinese puts the appliance before the verb and adds a frequency word when the problem recurs.

Other meanings

  • short circuitnoun

Opposites

  • 断路duàn lùbreak the circuitverb

Word lists with this word