刺客 (cì kè) — assassin | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

assassin

Measure word · 个

Examples

刺客。
Zhè ge cì kè zài lì shǐ shàng fēi cháng yǒu míng.
This assassin was very famous in history.
刺客。
Yóu xì wán jiā kě yǐ xuǎn zé bàn yǎn yì míng cì kè.
Game players can choose to play as an assassin.
，刺客。
Nà bú shì pǔ tōng de zhàn shì, ér shì shòu guò xùn liàn de cì kè.
That is not an ordinary warrior, but a trained assassin.

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.

客kèperson

The word combines stab and person to mean an assassin.

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.

朿刂刺

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.

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

宀各客

Meaning part形符xíngfú

宀宀miánroof

Sound part声符shēngfú

各

各gè客kè

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 客, 宀 is a roof and 各 gives the sound; the character meant a guest.

Appears in

Crime & Police Professions & Jobs

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