布鞋 (bù xié) — cloth shoes | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

cloth shoes

Measure word · 双

布鞋。
Tā xǐ huan chuān bù xié.
He likes to wear cloth shoes.
布鞋。
Zhè shuāng bù xié shì wǒ nǎi nai zuò de.
This pair of cloth shoes was made by my grandmother.
布鞋。
Xià tiān chuān bù xié hěn liáng kuai.
It's cool to wear cloth shoes in summer.

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.

布 means cloth and 鞋 means shoe, so the word names shoes made of cloth.

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

巾巾jīnkerchief

Sound part声符shēngfú

父

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.

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

革圭鞋

Meaning part形符xíngfú

革革géleather

Sound part声符shēngfú

圭

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

鞋 puts 革 (leather) beside 圭 to show leather shoes; 圭 gives the sound and originally drew a pair of ritual axes, not earth.