ancient compass; south-pointing spoon
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
an ancient Chinese directional instrument made of magnetite carved into a spoon shape, placed on a smooth plate marked with directions; the precursor to the modern compass
Invented during the Han Dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE), the south-pointing spoon utilizes the magnetic properties of lodestone to align with Earth's magnetic field, with the handle pointing south.
Sī司
nán南
shì是
shì世
jiè界
shang上
zuì最
zǎo早
de的
zhǐ指
nán南
yí仪
qì器
。
The south-pointing spoon was the world's earliest directional instrument.
Bó博
wù物
guǎn馆
lǐ里
chén陈
liè列
zhe着
yī一
gè个
Hàn汉
dài代
de的
sī司
nán南
mó模
xíng型
。
The museum displays a model of a Han Dynasty south-pointing spoon.
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Sī司
nán南
lì利
yòng用
cí磁
shí石
de的
zhǐ指
jí极
xìng性
lái来
biàn辨
bié别
fāng方
xiàng向
。
The south-pointing spoon uses the magnetic polarity of lodestone to determine direction.