指法 (zhǐ fǎ) — fingering (proper use of fingers in music, typing, etc.); a book or manual explaining finger techniques

Definition

noun
fingering (proper use of fingers in music, typing, etc.)a book or manual explaining finger techniques
Measure word · 本

Examples

  • ，指法。
    Xué gāng qín de shí hou, zhǐ fǎ hěn zhòng yào.
    Fingering is very important when learning piano.
  • 指法。
    Zhè běn zhǐ fǎ xiě dé fēi cháng xiáng xì.
    This fingering manual is written very comprehensively.
  • 指法。
    Diàn nǎo jiàn pán de zhǐ fǎ xū yào duō jiā liàn xí.
    The fingering for computer keyboards requires more practice.

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.

指zhǐfinger
法fǎmethod

指 gives finger, and 法 gives method; together they name fingering.

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shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
旨
旨zhǐ指zhǐ
Same sound today

The left part 扌 is the hand form 手. The right part 旨 gives the sound.

Open 指 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →

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