墩布 (dūn bù) — mop (traditional cloth mop, often a bundle of cloth strips on a stick); swab

Definition

noun
mop (traditional cloth mop, often a bundle of cloth strips on a stick)swab
Measure word · 把

Examples

  • 墩布。
    Tā yòng dūn bù bǎ dì bǎn cā dé hěn gān jìng.
    He used a mop to clean the floor very well.
  • 墩布。
    Shāng diàn lǐ mài de gè zhǒng dūn bù dōu bú tài jiē shi.
    The various mops sold in the store aren't very durable.
  • 墩布。
    Qǐng bǎ dūn bù xǐ gān jìng zài fàng huí wèi shēng jiān.
    Please wash the mop clean before putting it back in the bathroom.

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.

墩dūnmopping
布bùcloth

墩 says mopping, and 布 names the cloth used.

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
敦
敦dūn墩dūn
Same sound today

墩 pairs 土 (soil) with 敦, which gives the sound dūn.

Open 墩 →

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
巾巾jīnkerchief
Sound part声符shēngfú
父
父fù布bù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

布 pairs 巾, a kerchief, with 父 as a sound part.

Open 布 →

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