外壳 (wài ké) — (outer) shell, casing, case

Definition

noun

(outer) shellcasingcase

Measure word · 个

外壳。
Zhè ge shǒu jī de wài ké shì jīn shǔ zuò de.
The shell of this phone is made of metal.
外壳。
Wū guī de wài ké fēi cháng jiān yìng.
A turtle's shell is very hard.
外壳。
Yē zi yǒu yí gè hěn hòu de wài ké.
Coconuts have a very thick outer covering.

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.

外 and 壳 combine to mean the outer shell or casing.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

月

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

外 pairs 卜 with 月, a crescent moon; in its older form, the 卜 part had a horizontal bar extending outward, giving the sense of outside.

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 殼; 壳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

㱿

㱿㱿殼ké(r)

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

The traditional form 殼 is built from 几 (the meaning part) and 㱿 (the sound part); the simplified 壳 is a later shorthand.

Appears in