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家门口 (jiā mén kǒu) — doorway (of one's home); the area just outside one's home

Definition

家门ロ refers specifically to the area right outside one's own home — the doorstep and immediate surroundings — not a generic doorway. It contrasts with 门ロ, which is a more neutral word for any entrance or threshold.

noun
doorway (of one's home)the area just outside one's home

Examples

  • 。
    Tā měi tiān zǎo chén dōu zài jiā mén kǒu děng gōng jiāo chē.
    He waits for the bus at his doorstep every morning.
  • 家门口。
    jiā mén kǒu Yǒu yì kē hěn dà de shù.
    There is a big tree in front of the house.
  • 。
    Wǒ zǒu dào jiā mén kǒu cái fā xiàn wàng le dài yào shi.
    I only realized I forgot my keys when I reached the doorstep.

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.

家jiāhome
门口door opening
门méndoor口kǒuopening
偏正Modifier + head

The doorway of a home: 家 means home, 门 door, and 口 opening.

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢑓
𢑓𢑓家jiā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The early drawing of 家 showed a roof 宀 over a male-pig sign 𢑓 that gave the pronunciation; the lower part later changed shape.

Open 家 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 門; 门 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 門 pictures a gate as two door shapes side by side; the simplified 门 is a later shorthand.

Open 门 →

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

The form 口 looks like an open mouth.

Open 口 →
Appears in
Home & Housing

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