TongTong
Sign in

担子 (dàn zi) — (noun) carrying pole with loads on both ends (a traditional way to carry goods); (noun, figurative) burden, responsibility, or task that one must bear

Definition

担子 is a carrying pole with loads on both ends, used figuratively for the burden or responsibility one must shoulder. Compared to 负担, it is more concrete and often evokes labor or duty; 包袱 leans toward a mental weight or comedic twist.

noun
carrying pole with loads on both ends (a traditional way to carry goods)(noun, figurative) burdenresponsibilityor task that one must bear
Measure word · 副

Examples

  • 担子。
    Tā yòng dàn zi tiāo zhe liǎng kuāng shuǐ guǒ.
    He used a carrying pole to carry two baskets of fruit.
  • 担子。
    Zhè ge dàn zi duì tā lái shuō tài zhòng le.
    This burden is too heavy for him.
  • ，担子。
    Zuò wéi jīng lǐ, tā jiān fù zhe hěn dà de dàn zi.
    As a manager, he bears a great responsibility.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

担dānload
子zǐthing

担 refers to a load carried on the shoulder; 担子 names the pole and loads one carries.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
旦
旦dàn担dàn
Same sound today

In 担, the left part 扌 is the hand, showing that the action involves using the hand. The right part 旦 shows how it sounds.

Open 担 →

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract ConceptsMiscellaneous Objects

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.