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下铺 (xià pū) — lower berth (on a train, ship, or bunk bed)

Definition

The bottom bunk or berth (lower level of a bunk bed, train sleeper, or ship cabin). Pairs with 上铺 (top berth); 上铺 is cheaper but harder to access, 下铺 is easier to get in and out of.

noun
lower berth (on a train, ship, or bunk bed)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • ，下铺，。
    Wǒ mǎi le yì zhāng huǒ chē piào, shì xià pū, wǎn shàng kě yǐ tǎng xià lái xiū xi.
    I bought a train ticket with a lower berth, so I can lie down and rest at night.
  • 下铺，。
    Chuán cāng lǐ de xià pū kōng jiān bǐ jiào dà, fàng xíng li hěn fāng biàn.
    The lower berth in the cabin has quite a bit of space, making it convenient to store luggage.
  • 下铺，。
    Sù shè de shàng xià pù wǒ xuǎn de shì xià pū, shàng xià chuáng bǐ jiào ān quán.
    I chose the lower bunk in the dormitory bunk bed; getting on and off is safer.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

下xiàlower
铺pùbed

下 specifies the lower one of a 铺.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鋪; 铺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīngold; metal
Sound part声符shēngfú
甫
甫fǔ鋪pū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鋪 pairs 金 (gold; metal) with 甫 as a sound part; the simplified 铺 is a shorthand.

Open 铺 →
Appears in
Accommodation

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