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手榴弹 (shǒu liú dàn) — hand grenade; (slang) high-quality liquor or wine given as a gift

Definition

Literally 'hand-pineapple-bullet', the standard word for a hand grenade. In slang it jokingly refers to a bottle of high-end liquor given as a gift, because fancy bottles often have a similar shape.

noun
hand grenade(slang) high-quality liquor or wine given as a gift
Measure word · 颗

Examples

  • 手榴弹。
    Tā zài xùn liàn zhōng xué huì le rú hé shǐ yòng shǒu liú dàn.
    He learned how to use a hand grenade during training.
  • 手榴弹，。
    Kè hù sòng de zhè píng jiǔ shì gè shǒu liú dàn, tè bié zhēn guì.
    This bottle of liquor from the client is a hand grenade (high-end gift), very precious.
  • 手榴弹。
    Zhè ge shǒu liú dàn xíng zhuàng de píng zi hěn tè bié.
    This bottle shaped like a hand grenade is very unusual.

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.

手shǒuhand
榴弹pomegranate-shaped projectile
榴liúpomegranate弹tánprojectile
偏正Modifier + head

“手” (hand) specifies “榴弹” (pomegranate-shaped projectile), giving a hand grenade.

Characters in this word

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

手 draws a five-fingered human hand: the top line is a bent middle finger, and the horizontal lines show the other four fingers.

Open 手 →

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
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
留
留liú榴liú
Same sound today

The left side 木 marks a tree, while the right side 留 gives the character its sound.

Open 榴 →

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 →
Appears in
Military & Defense

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