弹匣 (dàn xiá) — (military) magazine; ammunition clip | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

(military) magazineammunition clip

Measure word · 个

Examples

弹匣。
Shì bīng bǎ kōng dàn xiá huàn xià lái.
The soldier took off the empty magazine.
弹匣。
Zhè ge dàn xiá lǐ hái yǒu shí fā zǐ dàn.
There are still ten rounds in this magazine.
弹匣。
Tā xùn sù zhuāng shàng yí gè xīn dàn xiá.
He quickly loaded a new magazine.

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.

弹 means bullet and 匣 means case, together a container for bullets.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 彈; 弹 is its simplified writing.

弓單彈

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

單

單dān彈tán

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 彈 pairs 弓 (bow) with the sound part 單; the simplified 弹 is a shorthand.

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

匚甲匣

Meaning part形符xíngfú

匚匚fāng

Sound part声符shēngfú

甲

甲jiǎ匣xiá

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

匣 uses 匚 to show the idea of a box or case, and 甲 to give the sound.

Appears in

Military & Defense

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