店主 (diàn zhǔ) — shop owner, store proprietor | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

shop ownerstore proprietor

Measure word · 个

Examples

店主，。
Zhè jiā diàn zhǔ rén hěn hǎo, zǒng shì rè qíng jiē dài gù kè.
The owner of this shop is very nice, always warmly receiving customers.
店主。
diàn zhǔ Jué dìng xià ge yuè kuò dà diàn miàn.
The shop owner decided to expand the storefront next month.
店主。
Nà ge diàn zhǔ zhèng zài gēn gōng yìng shāng tán jià gé.
That shop owner is discussing prices with a supplier.

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.

店 is shop and 主 is owner, together shop owner.

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.

广占店

Meaning part形符xíngfú

广广guǎnghouse built to depend on a cliff

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn店diàn

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

店 shows 广, a house built to depend on a cliff, and 占, which gives the sound.

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

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Appears in

Business & Commerce Professions & Jobs

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