吸铁石 (xī tiě shí) — magnet | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

magnet

Measure word · 块

吸铁石。
Zhè kuài xī tiě shí xī lì hěn qiáng.
This magnet has very strong attraction.
吸铁石。
Tā yòng xī tiě shí bǎ zhēn xī qǐ lái le.
He used a magnet to pick up the needle.
吸铁石。
Wǒ xiǎo shí hou xǐ huan wán xī tiě shí.
I liked to play with magnets when I was a child.

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.

吸铁suck iron

动宾Verb + object

吸铁石 names a stone that can 吸 iron, so it denotes a magnet.

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.

口及吸

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

及

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

吸 pairs 口 (mouth) with 及, which gives the sound and relates to grabbing, so the shape suggests grabbing through the mouth.

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 鐵; 铁 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

𢧤

𢧤𢧤鐵tiě

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

The traditional form 鐵 pairs 金 (metal) with 𢧤 as a sound part; the simplified 铁 is a later shorthand.

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

The shape of 石 shows a stone under a cliff-like overhang, or a cave set into a cliff side.