机票

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 机票 (jī piào) for "airplane ticket" is a compound of two characters: 机 (jī), meaning "machine" or "airplane," and 票 (piào), meaning "ticket" or "pass." The character 机 is derived from the ancient Chinese character 幾 (jī), which originally meant "a wooden frame used for weaving." Over time, the meaning of 幾 expanded to include other types of frames and structures, including machines and airplanes. The character 票 is derived from the ancient Chinese character 帛 (bó), which originally meant "silk." In ancient China, silk was a valuable commodity that was often used as a form of currency. Eventually, the meaning of 帛 expanded to include other types of valuable objects, including tickets and passes. The combination of the characters 机 and 票 creates the word 机票, which specifically refers to an airplane ticket.