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短裤 (duǎn kù) — shorts

Definition

noun
shorts
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 短裤。
    Tā chuān le yì tiáo lán sè duǎn kù.
    He wore a pair of blue shorts.
  • 短裤。
    Xià tiān wǒ xǐ huan chuān duǎn kù.
    I like to wear shorts in summer.
  • 短裤。
    Zhè tiáo duǎn kù bú tài hǎo kàn.
    These shorts are not very good-looking.

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.

短duǎnshort
裤kùpants

'短' short, '裤' pants; together: short pants.

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
矢矢shǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu短duǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

短 is built from 矢 and 豆. 豆 is used for its sound, while 矢 is the component linked to the meaning.

Open 短 →

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 褲; 裤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衣衣yīclothing
Sound part声符shēngfú
庫
庫kù褲
Same sound today

The traditional form 褲 pairs 衣 (clothing) with 庫 for its sound. The simplified 裤 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 裤 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 3Clothing

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