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桌前 (zhuō qián) — in front of the desk; at the desk

Definition

桌前 (zhuōqián) is a fixed location phrase meaning 'in front of the desk' or 'at the desk', used as a noun for where someone is positioned. Often written as 桌子前 in speech for clarity.

noun
in front of the deskat the desk

Examples

  • 桌前。
    Tā zuò zài zhuō qián kàn diàn nǎo.
    He sits at the desk looking at the computer.
  • 桌前？
    Shū fàng zài zhuō qián le ma?
    Is the book placed on the desk?
  • 桌前。
    Wǒ zhàn le zài zhuō qián jiào tā.
    I stood in front of the desk and called her.

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

桌 has 卓 on top, giving the sound and a sense of high, and 木 below, wood; the bottom of 卓 has merged into 木.

Open 桌 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

In the older form of 前, 止 (foot) and 舟 (boat) showed a foot on a boat moving forward; in the current 前 those parts are shortened.

Open 前 →
Appears in
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