斑块 (bān kuài) — splotch, patch (of color, texture, or substance on a surface)

Definition

noun
splotchpatch (of color, texture, or substance on a surface)
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 斑块。
    Tā de liǎn shàng yǒu yí kuài hóng sè de bān kuài.
    There is a red patch on her face.
  • 斑块。
    Qiáng shàng chū xiàn le jǐ kuài hēi sè de bān kuài.
    A few black splotches appeared on the wall.
  • 斑块。
    Zhè zhǒng bìng huì dǎo zhì pí fū shàng cháng chū bái sè bān kuài.
    This disease can cause white patches to grow on the skin.

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.

斑bānspot
块kuàilump

"斑" (spot) and "块" (lump) combine into a patch-like spot.

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
文文wénpattern
Sound part声符shēngfú
班
班bān斑bān
Same sound today

斑 uses 文 to show a pattern and 班 to give its sound.

Open 斑 →

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 塊; 块 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth; dust
Sound part声符shēngfú
鬼
鬼guǐ塊kuài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 塊 pairs 土 (earth; dust) with 鬼 as a sound part to show a clod of dirt. The simplified 块 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 块 →

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