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坐垫 (zuò diàn) — cushion

Definition

noun
cushion
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 坐垫。
    Zhè ge zuò diàn hěn shū fu.
    This cushion is very comfortable.
  • 坐垫。
    Wǒ zài chē lǐ fàng le yí gè xīn zuò diàn.
    I put a new cushion in the car.
  • 坐垫。
    zuò diàn De yán sè hé shā fā hěn pèi.
    The color of the cushion matches the sofa very well.

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.

坐zuòsit
垫diàncushion

坐 “sit” and 垫 “cushion” combine as a cushion meant for sitting.

Characters in this word

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

The form 坐 combines 留, 'to stay', and 土, 'ground'.

Open 坐 →

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 墊; 垫 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
執
執zhí墊diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 墊 pairs 土, showing earth, with 執, providing the sound; this is about 墊, not the simplified 垫.

Open 垫 →
Appears in
Furniture

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