軸 (zhóu) - Axle, axis, pivot & a central or supporting structure

軸Tone 2

zhóu ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

志

軸 · zhóu

Axle, axis, pivot;

a central or supporting structure;

also refers to a spool or roller, as in a scroll.

Axle, axis, pivota central or supporting structurealso refers to a spool or roller, as

Usage highlights

AxleAxisScrollSpindleMain axisCoordinate axis

Synonyms

  • 枢— pivot, hub
  • 心— center, heart (in the sense of a central point)

Antonyms

  • 轮— wheel (the rotating part, as opposed to the fixed axle)
  • 边— edge, periphery (antonym to the central 'axis')

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The axle of the car broke (车轴).
  • The Earth rotates on its axis (地轴).
  • He bought a new scroll for his painting (画轴).
  • The company is the axis of the industry (轴心).

Collocations

  • Axle(车轴)
  • Axis(轴心)
  • Scroll(卷轴)
  • Spindle(纺轴)
  • Main axis(主轴)
  • Coordinate axis(坐标轴)

Idioms

  • The hub of the universe(宇宙之轴)
  • To hold the pivot(持轴)
  • The axis of a group(群轴)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional mechanics, the axle was crucial for wheeled transport, symbolizing centrality and support.
  • In art, the '轴' refers to the rod around which a scroll is wound, representing cultural preservation and display.
  • Metaphorically, it denotes a central, indispensable element in a system or organization.

FAQ