块根 (kuài gēn) — root tuber | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

root tuber

Measure word · 个

Examples

块根。
Zhè zhǒng zhí wù de kuài gēn kě yǐ shí yòng.
The root tuber of this plant is edible.
块根。
kuài gēn Shì zhí wù chǔ cún yǎng fèn de zhòng yào qì guān.
Root tubers are important organs for plants to store nutrients.
块根。
Nóng mín zài qiū tiān shōu huò kuài gēn.
Farmers harvest root tubers in autumn.

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.

块kuàilump

根gēnroot

块根 is a swollen underground root, with 块 giving the lump shape and 根 the root part.

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 塊; 块 is its simplified writing.

土鬼塊

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth; dust

Sound part声符shēngfú

鬼

鬼guǐ塊kuài

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

The traditional form 塊 pairs 土 (earth; dust) with 鬼 as a sound part to show a clod of dirt. The simplified 块 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 块 →

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

木艮根

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mù

Sound part声符shēngfú

艮

艮gèn根gēn(r)

Same sound today

根 pairs 木 (tree/wood), pointing to plant roots, with 艮 as a sound part.

Open 根 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.