杆状 (gān zhuàng) — rod-shaped; pole-shaped; cylindrical (as a modifier)

Definition

rod-shapedpole-shapedcylindrical (as a modifier)

Examples

  • 杆状。
    Zhè zhǒng xì jūn shì gān zhuàng de.
    This type of bacterium is rod-shaped.
  • 杆状。
    Xiǎn wēi jìng xià néng kàn dào gān zhuàng jié gòu.
    Under the microscope, you can see a rod-shaped structure.
  • 杆状，。
    Jīng tǐ chéng gān zhuàng, cháng dù yuē liǎng háo mǐ.
    The crystals are rod-shaped, about two millimeters in length.

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.

杆gānpole
状zhuàngshape

杆 gives 'pole' and 状 gives 'shape', together meaning pole-shaped.

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
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
干
干gān杆gǎn
Same sound today

杆 pairs 木 (tree) with 干, which gives the sound. The 木 part shows the thing is made of wood.

Open 杆 →

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 狀; 状 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犬犬quǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
爿
爿pán狀zhuàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 狀 pairs 犬 (dog) with 爿 as a sound component; the simplified 状 is a shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 状 →

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