箱底 (xiāng de) — bottom of a chest or trunk; (figurative) one's savings or treasured possessions kept at the bottom of a chest

Definition

Literally 'the bottom of a chest/trunk', often used figuratively for money or valuables stored there — one's hidden savings or prized possessions.

noun
bottom of a chest or trunk(figurative) one's savings or treasured possessions kept at the bottom of a chest

Examples

  • 箱底。
    Tā bǎ jiù yī fu dié hǎo fàng zài xiāng de.
    He folded the old clothes and put them at the bottom of the chest.
  • 箱底。
    Tā bǎ zǎn le hǎo jǐ nián de qián dōu cáng zài xiāng de.
    She hid the money she had saved for several years at the bottom of the chest.
  • 箱底。
    Zhè shì tā jiā zuì hòu de xiāng de qián le.
    This is the last of his family's savings.

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.

箱xiāngchest
底dǐbottom

The 底 (bottom) inside a 箱 (chest).

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
相
相xiāng箱xiāng
Same sound today

箱 combines 竹, showing bamboo, with 相 as a sound part, to write a bamboo box or case.

Open 箱 →

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guǎngbuilding
Sound part声符shēngfú
氐
氐dī底dǐ
Same sound today

底 pairs 广 (building) with 氐, pointing to the bottom or foundation of a building. Some read 氐 as a bowing figure or tree root, adding a sense of 'down'.

Open 底 →

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