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桅杆 (wéi gān) — mast (of a boat)

Definition

noun
mast (of a boat)
Measure word · 根

Examples

  • 桅杆。
    Chuán shàng de wéi gān hěn gāo.
    The mast on the ship is very tall.
  • 桅杆。
    Shuǐ shǒu men zhèng zài xiū lǐ wéi gān.
    The sailors are repairing the mast.
  • 桅杆。
    Bào fēng yǔ bǎ wéi gān chuī duàn le.
    The storm blew the mast off.

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.

桅wéimast
杆gānpole

“桅” and “杆” combine to mean the mast-pole on a ship.

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mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
危
危wēi桅wéi
Same sound today

桅 pairs 木, indicating a wooden object, with 危, which points to the pronunciation wēi.

Open 桅 →

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 →
Appears in
Boats & Water Travel

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