弹簧锁 (tán huáng suǒ) — spring lock

Definition

noun
spring lock
Measure word · 把

Examples

  • 弹簧锁。
    Zhè dào mén yòng de shì tán huáng suǒ.
    This door uses a spring lock.
  • 弹簧锁，。
    tán huáng suǒ Huài le, xū yào huàn gè xīn de.
    The spring lock is broken; need to replace it with a new one.
  • 弹簧锁。
    Qǐng jiǎn chá yí xià tán huáng suǒ shì fǒu zhèng cháng.
    Please check if the spring lock is working properly.

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.

弹簧spring
弹tánelastic簧huángspring
偏正Modifier + head
锁suǒlock

“弹簧” means spring and “锁” means lock; the word is a lock that uses a spring.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōng
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.

Open 弹 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 簧 →

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 鎖; 锁 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
𧴪
𧴪𧴪鎖suǒ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鎖 pairs 金 (metal) with a sound component, 𧴪; the simplified 锁 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the original parts.

Open 锁 →

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