柚木 (yóu mù) — teak (a tropical hardwood)

Definition

noun
teak (a tropical hardwood)
Measure word · 棵
Easily confused

Examples

  • 柚木。
    Zhè zhāng zhuō zi shì yòng yóu mù zuò de.
    This table is made of teak.
  • 柚木，。
    yóu mù Jiā jù fēi cháng nài yòng, ér qiě hěn měi guān.
    Teak furniture is very durable and also beautiful.
  • 柚木。
    Tā men cóng dōng nán yà jìn kǒu le dà liàng de yóu mù.
    They imported a large amount of teak from Southeast Asia.

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.

柚yòutree name
木mùwood

柚 names the tree and 木 means wood, so it denotes teak timber.

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; wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
由
由yóu柚yòu
Same sound today

柚 has 木 for tree or wood and 由 for the sound.

Open 柚 →

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

木 is drawn as a tree, with branches above and roots below.

Open 木 →

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