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墨水儿 (mò shuǐ r) — (noun) ink; (noun) book learning; academic achievement

Definition

Literally 'ink' (the liquid), but figuratively means 'book learning' — calling someone 没墨水儿 is a casual, slightly teasing way of saying they aren't well-read.

noun
inkbook learningacademic achievement

Examples

  • 墨水儿。
    Zhè píng mò shuǐ r kuài yòng wán le.
    This bottle of ink is almost used up.
  • 墨水儿，。
    Tā dù zi lǐ yǒu mò shuǐ r, shuō huà hěn yǒu dào lǐ.
    He has real learning in his belly, so his words make a lot of sense.
  • 墨水儿。
    Gāng bǐ lǐ méi yǒu mò shuǐ r le.
    There is no ink left in the fountain pen.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

墨水ink
墨mòblack水shuǐwater
偏正Modifier + head
儿érer

墨水 is ink, literally black water, and 儿 gives the colloquial form 墨水儿.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔsoil
Sound part声符shēngfú
黑
黑hēi墨mò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

墨 is built from 土 (soil) and 黑, with 黑 giving the sound.

Open 墨 →

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

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

Open 水 →

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

The shape 儿 is a simple drawing of a standing person, used as an alternate form of the character for person.

Open 儿 →
Appears in
HSK 2.0 Level 6

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