电熨斗 (diàn yùn dǒu) — electric iron

Definition

noun

electric iron

Measure word · 个

电熨斗，。
Qǐng bǎ diàn yùn dǒu dì gěi wǒ, wǒ yào tàng yí xià chèn shān.
Please pass me the electric iron, I need to press my shirt.
电熨斗，。
Zhè ge diàn yùn dǒu de wēn dù tài gāo le, huì bǎ yī fu tàng huài.
This electric iron's temperature is too high; it will burn the clothes.
电熨斗。
Mǎi yí gè zhì liàng hǎo de diàn yùn dǒu néng yòng hěn duō nián.
Buying a good-quality electric iron can last many years.

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.

熨斗iron

偏正Modifier + head

电 means electric and 熨斗 means iron; together an electric iron.

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 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

雨雨yǔrain

Sound part声符shēngfú

申

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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

The shape of 斗 originally showed a ladle-shaped dipper or cup used to measure grain, held in a hand.