喷管 (pēn guǎn) — nozzle (for spraying liquid or gas)

Definition

noun

nozzle (for spraying liquid or gas)

Measure word · 个

喷管。
Zhè ge pēn guǎn shì xīn de.
This nozzle is new.
喷管。
Gōng chéng shī zhèng zài jiǎn chá pēn guǎn de yā lì.
The engineer is checking the pressure of the nozzle.
喷管。
Xiāo fáng chē shàng de pēn guǎn kě yǐ pēn shè hěn yuǎn.
The nozzle on the fire truck can spray very far.

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.

喷 describes spraying, and 管 is a tube.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 噴; 喷 is its simplified writing.

口賁噴

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

賁

賁bì噴pēn

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

The traditional form 噴 pairs 口, mouth, with 賁 for the sound; the simplified 喷 is a later shorthand.

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

竹官管

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

官

Same sound today

管 has 竹 (bamboo) on top to show it relates to bamboo, and 官 gives its sound.