Definition
发电 (fā diàn) is a separable verb-object compound (离合词): 发 is the verb 'to generate/send' and 电 is the object 'electricity/telegram'. It can be split (e.g., 发了很多电 'generated a lot of electricity'). The primary modern meaning is 'to generate electricity'; the dated meaning 'to send a telegram' is now rare.
verb
to generate electricity(dated) to send a telegram
Examples
- 。Zhège diànchǎng yì tiān néng fā hěn duō diàn.This power plant can generate a lot of electricity in one day.
- ，发电。Gōngchǎng yīnwèi tíng diàn, jīntiān méiyǒu fā diàn.The factory didn't generate power today because of a power outage.
- 。Qùnián zhège diànzhàn zhǐ fā guò yí cì diàn.Last year this power station only generated electricity once.
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