栓 (shuān) — (bound form) plug; stopper; bolt

Definition

A bound form used for stopper-like objects — a plug, bolt, or cork. It only appears as part of a compound (e.g. 螺栓, 枪栓, 瓶栓), never alone.

bound form

plugstopperbolt

。
Jī qì shàng de luó shuān sōng le.
The bolt on the machine is loose.
。
Shì bīng lā dòng qiāng shuān zhǔn bèi shè jī.
The soldier pulled the gun bolt, ready to shoot.
栓。
Zhè ge mù shuān shì yòng lái sāi píng kǒu de.
This wooden stopper is used to plug the bottle mouth.

Sound + meaning

六书liùshū

形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

木全栓

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùwood

Sound part声符shēngfú

全

全quán栓shuān

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

栓 pairs 木 (wood) with 全 as a sound part; the source describes it as a wooden peg.

Appears in