刻痕 (kè hén) — a notch; a scratch or mark made by cutting or c… | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

a notcha scratch or mark made by cutting or carving

Measure word · 道

Examples

刻痕。
Tā zài shí tou shàng liú xià le yí dào shēn shēn de kè hén.
He left a deep notch on the stone.
刻痕。
Zhuān jiā zài gǔ lǎo de wù pǐn shàng fā xiàn le míng xiǎn de kè hén.
The expert found clear marks on the ancient object.
刻痕。
Dāo rèn shàng de kè hén biǎo míng tā céng bèi yòng lái qiē gē yìng wù.
The scratches on the blade indicate it was used to cut hard objects.

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.

The 刻 sense of carve or engrave combines with 痕 as mark to mean a carved mark.

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.

亥刂刻

Meaning part形符xíngfú

刂Written in full as刀dāo

Sound part声符shēngfú

亥

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

刻 is made of 刂, a form of 刀 (knife), and 亥, which gives the sound.

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

疒艮痕

Meaning part形符xíngfú

疒疒nè

Sound part声符shēngfú

艮

艮gèn痕hén

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

痕 pairs 疒 with 艮: 疒 gives the sense, and 艮 gives the sound.

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