磨坊 (mò fáng) — mill (for grinding grain) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A traditional mill building where grain (wheat, etc.) is ground — the physical place, distinct from the grinding machine itself (磨 or 磨粉机). Less common than 工厂 in modern usage.

noun

mill (for grinding grain)

Measure word · 家

Examples

磨坊。
Zhè zuò gǔ lǎo de mò fáng yǐ jīng yǒu yì bǎi duō nián de lì shǐ le.
This old mill has a history of over a hundred years.
磨坊。
Yǐ qián rén men yòng mò fáng bǎ xiǎo mài mó chéng miàn fěn.
In the past, people used mills to grind wheat into flour.
磨坊。
Zhè ge cūn zhuāng lǐ yǒu yí gè shuǐ qū dòng de mò fáng.
There is a water-powered mill in this village.

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.

坊fāngworkshop

磨 refers to grinding grain, and 坊 denotes a workshop or place.

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shírock

Sound part声符shēngfú

靡

靡mí磨mó

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

磨 combines 石, showing rock, with 靡 for the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

土方坊

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth

Sound part声符shēngfú

方

方fāng坊fáng

Same sound today

坊 is made of 土 (earth) beside 方 (fāng); 方 supplies the sound.

Appears in

Buildings & Structures

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