枝条 (zhī tiáo) — branch; twig

Definition

noun
branchtwig
Measure word · 根

Examples

  • 枝条。
    Shù shàng yǒu hěn duō zhī tiáo.
    There are many branches on the tree.
  • 枝条。
    Tā jiǎn qǐ yì gēn zhī tiáo.
    He picked up a twig.
  • 枝条。
    Fēng bǎ zhī tiáo chuī duàn le.
    The wind broke the branch.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

枝zhībranch
条tiáotwig

枝 is a branch, and 条 is a slender twig, together naming branches and twigs.

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
支
支zhī枝zhī
Same sound today

枝 shows 木 (tree) beside 支, which gives the sound.

Open 枝 →

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 條; 条 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
攸
攸yōu條tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 條 pairs 木, a small branch or stick, with 攸, which shows a person warned by a hand holding a stick, as a sound part; 条 is a later shortened shape.

Open 条 →

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