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后备箱 (hòu bèi xiāng) — trunk (of a car); boot (UK)

Definition

Refers specifically to the trunk/boot of a car. 后备 means 'backup/reserve' and 箱 is 'box', so the compound means 'the reserved storage box at the back of the car' — not a general container like 箱子.

noun
trunk (of a car)boot (UK)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 后备箱。
    Qǐng bǎ gōng jù dōu fàng jìn hòu bèi xiāng lǐ.
    Please put all the tools into the trunk.
  • 后备箱，。
    Wǒ de hòu bèi xiāng kōng jiān hěn dà, néng zhuāng sān gè dà xiāng zi.
    My trunk is very spacious; it can fit three large suitcases.
  • 后备箱。
    Tā xià chē dǎ kāi hòu bèi xiāng ná bèi yòng lún tāi.
    He got out of the car and opened the trunk to get the spare tire.

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.

后备reserve
后hòulater备bèiprepared
偏正Modifier + head
箱xiāngbox

后备 kept ready and 箱 box together name a car trunk.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 後; 后 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 後 showed 夊 (foot) bound by 幺 (thread), a foot caught by a rope and lagging behind; the simplified 后 is a later abbreviation, and 后 also has a different meaning.

Open 后 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 備; 备 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 備 shows a person carrying a quiver, matching the meaning 'ready; prepared'; the simplified 备 is a later abbreviation.

Open 备 →

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
𥫗Written in full as竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
相
相xiāng箱xiāng
Same sound today

箱 combines 竹, showing bamboo, with 相 as a sound part, to write a bamboo box or case.

Open 箱 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Vehicles

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