排水管 (pái shuǐ guǎn) — drain pipe | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

drain pipe

Measure word · 根

Examples

排水管，。
Chú fáng de pái shuǐ guǎn dǔ zhù le, xū yào mǎ shàng shū tōng.
The kitchen drain pipe is clogged and needs to be unblocked right away.
排水管。
Gōng rén zhèng zài gēng huàn lǎo huà de pái shuǐ guǎn.
The workers are replacing the aging drain pipe.
排水管，。
Zhè tiáo pái shuǐ guǎn de zhí jìng tài xiǎo, pái shuǐ bú chàng.
This drain pipe's diameter is too small, so water doesn't drain smoothly.

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.

排水drain water

排páidrain水shuǐwater

动宾Verb + object

排 moves water out, and 管 is the pipe that carries it away.

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.

扌非排

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

非

非fēi排pái

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

排 uses 扌 (hand) to show arranging something with the hand, and 非 for the sound; this gives the sense of placing things in a line.

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

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

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

竹官管

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

官

官guān管guǎn

Same sound today

管 has 竹 (bamboo) on top to show it relates to bamboo, and 官 gives its sound.

Appears in

Home & Housing Miscellaneous Objects

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