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卷心菜 (juǎn xīn cài) — cabbage

Definition

noun
cabbage
Measure word · 棵

Examples

  • 卷心菜。
    Wǒ zuó tiān mǎi le yí gè dà juǎn xīn cài.
    I bought a big cabbage yesterday.
  • 卷心菜。
    juǎn xīn cài Chǎo ròu piàn hěn hǎo chī.
    Stir-fried cabbage with meat slices is delicious.
  • 卷心菜。
    Zhè zhǒng juǎn xīn cài hěn xīn xiān.
    This kind of cabbage is very fresh.

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.

卷心roll the core
卷juànroll心xīncore
动宾Verb + object
菜càivegetable

“卷” roll plus “心” core plus “菜” vegetable: cabbage with a rolled core.

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
卩卩jiékneeling person
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢍏
𢍏𢍏卷juàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 卷, 卩 shows a kneeling person, while 𢍏 gives the sound and may also suggest bending or rolling, as in a reel of books.

Open 卷 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 心 comes from a drawing of a heart, now highly stylized.

Open 心 →

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
采
采cǎi菜cài
Same sound today

菜 has 艹 (grass/plants) on top and 采 below; the top part shows it is a plant, while 采 gives the sound.

Open 菜 →
Appears in
Vegetables

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