叫花子 (jiào huā zǐ) — beggar

Definition

Colloquial word for a beggar, often with a dismissive or pitying tone. More everyday than the neutral 乞丐.

noun
beggar
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 叫花子。
    Nà ge jiào huā zǐ zài lù biān yào qián.
    That beggar is asking for money by the roadside.
  • 叫花子。
    Tā chuān dé xiàng gè jiào huā zǐ.
    He dresses like a beggar.
  • 叫花子。
    Yǐ qián zhè tiáo jiē shàng yǒu hěn duō jiào huā zǐ.
    There used to be many beggars on this street.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

叫花beg
叫jiàocall花huābeg
动宾Verb + object
子zǐperson

The call-and-beg sense in 叫花 plus 子 gives 'beggar'.

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
丩
丩jiū叫jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

叫 shows a mouth 口 and a sound part 丩. The mouth fits the old sense of shouting.

Open 叫 →

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
化
化huà花
Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

Open 花 →

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →

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