第八 (dì bā) — the eighth (ordinal number) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

numeral

the eighth (ordinal number)

Examples

第八。
Wǒ zhù zài dì bā céng.
I live on the eighth floor.
第八。
Tā zài bǐ sài zhōng dé le dì bā míng.
He got eighth place in the competition.
第八。
Zhè běn shū de dì bā kè zuì nán.
The eighth lesson of this book is the hardest.

Origin

Derived word

构词法gòucífǎ

前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

第dìordinal marker

第 marks order and 八 is eight, giving the eighth.

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

𥫗Written in full as竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

弟

弟dì第dì

Same sound today

第 shows 𥫗, the bamboo strips once used for writing and sorting, with 弟 giving the sound.

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

八 shows two bent lines, indicating the original meaning 'to divide'; it was later used for 'eight' because the words sounded alike.

Appears in

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