护膝 (hù xī) — knee pad, knee protector

Definition

A protective garment worn over the knees during sports or physical work. Pairs with the verb 戴 ('wear') and takes the measure word 副 or 个.

noun

knee padknee protector

Measure word · 个

护膝。
Tā dǎ lán qiú shí zǒng shì dài zhe hù xī.
He always wears knee pads when playing basketball.
护膝，。
Zhè fù hù xī hěn hòu, néng bǎo hù xī gài.
This pair of knee pads is very thick and can protect the knees.
护膝。
Yī shēng jiàn yì tā yùn dòng shí dài shàng hù xī.
The doctor advised him to wear knee pads when exercising.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

护hùprotect

“护膝” combines “护” for protecting with “膝” for the knee, for a knee protector.

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.

扌户护

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒu

Sound part声符shēngfú

户

Same sound today

护 combines 扌 (the hand form 手) with 户, which gives the sound hù.

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

⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat, body

Sound part声符shēngfú

桼

桼qī膝xī

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

In 膝, ⺼ is the body form of 肉, marking a body part, and 桼 gives the sound.

Appears in