收银机 (shōu yín jī) — cash register

Definition

noun
cash register
Measure word · 台

Examples

  • 收银机。
    Shōu yín yuán zhèng zài yòng shōu yín jī jié zhàng.
    The cashier is checking out using the cash register.
  • 收银机。
    Qǐng bǎ shāng pǐn fàng zài shōu yín jī páng biān.
    Please put the goods next to the cash register.
  • 收银机。
    Zhè ge shōu yín jī kě yǐ sǎo miáo èr wéi mǎ.
    This cash register can scan QR codes.

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.

收银receive money
收shōureceive银yínmoney
动宾Verb + object
机jīmachine

收 means receive, 银 means money, and 机 means machine: a machine for receiving money.

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
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
丩
丩jiū收shōu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

收 uses 攴 to show an action and 丩 as a sound clue; the old meaning was 'to arrest.'

Open 收 →

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 銀; 银 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn銀yín
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 銀 has 金, meaning metal, and 艮, used for the sound; the simplified 银 is a shorthand.

Open 银 →

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
木木mùtree; wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
几
几jǐ机jī
Same sound today

The left part is 木 (tree; wood), and the right part 几 gives the sound.

Open 机 →

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