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模特儿 (mó tè r) — (fashion) model (loanword)

Definition

模特儿 (mótèr) is a loanword for a person — a fashion model who wears clothes on a runway or in photos. Don't confuse it with 模型 (a physical or abstract model/replica) or 模范 (a role model, an exemplary person).

noun
(fashion) model (loanword)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 模特儿，。
    Tā shì yì míng zhí yè mó tè r, jīng cháng cān jiā shí zhuāng biǎo yǎn.
    She is a professional model and often participates in fashion shows.
  • 模特儿。
    Zhè fú huà xū yào yí wèi mó tè r lái zhǎn shì fú zhuāng.
    This painting needs a model to display the clothes.
  • 模特儿。
    Nà wèi mó tè r zài wǔ tái shàng zǒu dé hěn yōu yǎ.
    That model walks very elegantly on the stage.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

模特model
模mó特tè
儿érfamiliar

模特 spells the foreign word for a fashion model, and 儿 gives the familiar spoken form.

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
莫
莫mò模mó
Same sound today

The left part 木 is tree; the right part 莫 gives the sound.

Open 模 →

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
牛牛niúox
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì特tè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape combines 牛 (ox) with 寺, which gives the pronunciation; it originally meant a large bull.

Open 特 →

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

The shape 儿 is a simple drawing of a standing person, used as an alternate form of the character for person.

Open 儿 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Professions & Jobs

Browse more HSK 6 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.