毡子 (zhān zǐ) — felt (fabric); felt rug or blanket

Definition

noun

felt (fabric)felt rug or blanket

Measure word · 块

Easily confused

毡子，。
Zhè kuài zhān zǐ hěn hòu, shì hé zuò diàn zi.
This piece of felt is very thick, suitable for making a mat.
毡子。
Dōng tiān shí wǒ zài shā fā shàng pù le yí kuài zhān zǐ.
In winter I spread a felt rug on the sofa.
毡子。
Zhè zhǒng zhān zǐ kě yǐ yòng lái zuò zhàng peng.
This kind of felt can be used to make tents.

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.

毡 names felt and 子 makes the word refer to felt as a thing.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 氈; 毡 is its simplified writing.

亶毛氈

Meaning part形符xíngfú

毛毛máohair, fur

Sound part声符shēngfú

亶

亶dǎn氈zhān

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

The traditional form 氈 uses 毛 (hair, fur) to show the meaning and 亶 to give the sound; 毡 is a later simplified shape.

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.