多邊形 / 多边形
do1 bin1 jing4
The English word 'polygon' is translated into Chinese as 多邊形 / 多边形 (do1 bin1 jing4). Wiktionary also lists 多角形 (duōjiǎoxíng).
Meaning: plane figure bounded by straight edges (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 多邊形 / 多边形 | do1 bin1 jing4 |
| 多角形 | duōjiǎoxíng |
Both forms are used to describe a plane figure bounded by straight edges. You can specify a particular polygon by replacing the character for 'many' with a specific number. For example, replacing it with 三 (three) creates the word for triangle, 三角形.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 多邊形 is composed of 多 (many), 邊 (sides/edges) and 形 (shape/form). The term 多角形 is composed of 多 (many), 角 (angles) and 形 (shape/form).
Which one should you use?
While both terms mean polygon, 多邊形 emphasizes the number of sides, whereas 多角形 emphasizes the number of angles.
How do you pronounce it?
do1 bin1 jing4
Did you know?
- The character 角 in 多角形 also means 'horn' and is used as a counter for 'cents' or 'dimes' in Chinese currency.
- The character 形 in 多邊形 is a pictograph that originally represented a 'mold' or 'casting' used to create a specific shape.
- While 多邊形 is the standard term in mainland China, 多角形 is more frequently encountered in older texts and certain mathematical traditions in Japan and Korea, which share the same characters.
Examples in context
- 一个四边形是一种多边形。A quadrilateral is a type of polygon.
- 那个六角形是一种多角形。That hexagon is a type of polygon.
- 画几个小多边形在这张纸上。Draw a few small polygons on this sheet of paper.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “polygon” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
