倒刺 (dào cì) — hangnail (torn skin at the side of a fingernail); barb (backward-facing point on a hook or arrow)

Definition

Two main senses: the small torn skin near a fingernail (a hangnail), and the backward-facing point on a hook or arrow that prevents it from slipping out.

noun
hangnail (torn skin at the side of a fingernail)barb (backward-facing point on a hook or arrow)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 倒刺，。
    Wǒ de shǒu zhǐ shàng cháng le yí gè dào cì, hěn téng.
    I have a hangnail on my finger, and it hurts a lot.
  • 倒刺。
    Yú gōu shàng de dào cì ràng yú hěn nán zhèng tuō.
    The barb on the fishhook makes it hard for the fish to break free.
  • 倒刺，。
    Bié sī dào cì, yòng zhǐ jia dāo jiǎn diào tā.
    Don't tear the hangnail — cut it off with nail clippers.

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.

倒dǎobackward
刺cìthorn/prick

倒 means backward or inverted, and 刺 means thorn or prick: a backward-facing point.

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
到
到dào倒dào
Same sound today

倒 combines 亻 (person) with 到, which gives the sound.

Open 倒 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刂Written in full as刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
朿
朿cì刺cì
Same sound today

刺 pairs 刂 (knife) with 朿, which gives the sound; the knife part fits actions like stabbing or pricking.

Open 刺 →

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