打火机 (dǎ huǒ jī) — (cigarette) lighter | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

(cigarette) lighter

Measure word · 个

Examples

打火机。
Bǎ dǎ huǒ jī fàng zài zhuō zi shàng ba.
Put the lighter on the table.
打火机。
Zhè ge dǎ huǒ jī shì sù liào zuò de.
This lighter is made of plastic.
打火机。
Tā jiè le wǒ de dǎ huǒ jī hái méi hái.
He borrowed my lighter and hasn't returned it yet.

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.

打火strike fire

打dǎstrike火huǒfire

动宾Verb + object

机jīdevice

打 (strike), 火 (fire), and 机 (device) form a device for striking fire.

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.

扌丁打

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

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

打 uses 扌, a hand, to show an action done with the hand, and 丁 to give the sound.

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

火 is a simple drawing of a fire, with flames shown rising upward.

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

木几机

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree; wood

Sound part声符shēngfú

几

几jǐ机jī

Same sound today

The left part is 木 (tree; wood), and the right part 几 gives the sound.

Appears in

Everyday Objects

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