帆布 (fān bù) — canvas (a durable woven fabric, originally used for sails)

Definition

noun
canvas (a durable woven fabric, originally used for sails)
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 帆布,。
    Zhè ge fān bù bāo hěn jiē shi, néng zhuāng hěn duō dōng xī.
    This canvas bag is very sturdy and can hold many things.
  • 帆布。
    Huà jiā zài fān bù shàng huà le yì fú fēng jǐng huà.
    The painter painted a landscape on canvas.
  • 帆布,。
    Wǒ xǐ huan chuān fān bù xié, yīn wèi tā men yòu qīng biàn yòu nài chuān.
    I like wearing canvas shoes because they are both lightweight and durable.

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.

布bùcloth

帆 is a sail and 布 is cloth, so the word is cloth used for sails.

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jīncloth
Sound part声符shēngfú
凡
凡fán帆fān
Same sound today

帆 pairs 巾 (cloth) with 凡, which gives the sound fán.

Open 帆 →

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 →

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