硬座 (yìng zuò) — hard seat (on a train)

Definition

硬座 (yìngzuò) is the cheapest seat class on a Chinese train — a basic, non-reclining seat, cheaper than 软座 and far cheaper than a sleeper (卧铺).

noun
hard seat (on a train)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 硬座。
    Wǒ mǎi le yì zhāng yìng zuò piào.
    I bought a hard-seat ticket.
  • 硬座。
    Zuò yìng zuò hěn bù shū fu.
    Sitting in a hard seat is very uncomfortable.
  • ，硬座。
    Cóng běi jīng dào shàng hǎi, tā zuò le shí gè xiǎo shí de yìng zuò.
    From Beijing to Shanghai, he sat on a hard seat for ten hours.

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.

硬yìnghard
座zuòseat

The 硬 'hard' describes 座 'seat', naming the stiff train seat.

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
石石shí
Sound part声符shēngfú
更
更gèng硬yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

硬 is built from 石, meaning stone, to show hardness or stiffness, and 更, which gives the sound.

Open 硬 →

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
广广guǎnghouse on cliff
Sound part声符shēngfú
坐
坐zuò座zuò
Same sound today

座 pairs 广, a house on a cliff, with 坐 to give the sound.

Open 座 →

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