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捂住 (wǔ zhù) — to cover (with the hand or a soft object) so as to block air, sound, or light

Definition

A separable verb (离合词) meaning to cover and hold closed with the hand or a soft object — commonly the mouth, nose, ears, or eyes to block air, sound, or light. In 把-constructions, split as 捂住… (e.g. 捂住嘴), not 捂着… as the result.

verb
to cover (with the hand or a soft object) so as to block airsoundor light

Examples

  • ，捂住。
    Tā jué de ě xīn, gǎn jǐn wǔ zhù le zuǐ.
    He felt nauseous and quickly covered his mouth.
  • ，捂住。
    Wài miàn tài chǎo le, tā bù dé bù wǔ zhù ěr duo.
    It was too noisy outside, so she had to cover her ears.
  • ，捂住。
    Hái zi pà hēi, yòng bèi zi wǔ zhù le yǎn jing.
    The child was afraid of the dark and covered his eyes with the blanket.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

捂wǔcover
住zhùhold in place

捂 places a hand over something, and 住 adds the sense of holding it in place.

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
吾
吾wú捂wǔ
Same sound today

捂 pairs 扌, a form of 手 meaning hand, with 吾, which gives the sound.

Open 捂 →

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
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
主
主zhǔ住zhù
Same sound today

住 pairs 亻, the person radical (written fully as 人), with 主, which supplies the sound.

Open 住 →
Appears in
Senses

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