挂毯 (guà tǎn) — tapestry | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

tapestry

Measure word · 幅

Examples

挂毯，。
Qiáng shàng guà zhe guà tǎn, shàng miàn yǒu huā niǎo tú àn.
A tapestry hangs on the wall, with a pattern of flowers and birds.
挂毯，。
Zhè jiàn shǒu gōng guà tǎn hěn guì, shì shǎo shù mín zú de zuò pǐn.
This handmade tapestry is very expensive; it's a work of an ethnic minority.
挂毯。
Bó wù guǎn zhǎn lǎn le yì fú gǔ guà tǎn.
The museum exhibited an ancient tapestry.

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.

挂guàhang

毯tǎnrug

A tapestry is a rug-like piece designed to hang, so “挂” and “毯” give “hang” and “rug.”

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 掛; 挂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

⺘Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

卦

卦guà掛guà

Same sound today

In the traditional form 掛, the hand part ⺘ and the sound part 卦 show hooking or hanging something with the hand; this form was originally a popular form of 挂.

Open 挂 →

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

毛炎毯

Meaning part形符xíngfú

毛毛máo

Sound part声符shēngfú

炎

炎yán毯tǎn

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

毯 pairs 毛, a meaning part, with 炎, a sound part.

Open 毯 →

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