红桃 (hóng táo) — (playing cards) heart (suit) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Red suit in a standard deck of playing cards, depicted as a heart shape. Always paired with a card value, e.g. 红桃A ('ace of hearts').

noun

(playing cards) heart (suit)

Measure word · 张

Examples

红桃A。
Wǒ shǒu shàng yǒu yì zhāng hóng táo A.
I have an ace of hearts in my hand.
红桃，？
Zhè bǎ pái hóng táo hěn duō, nǐ yǒu jǐ zhāng?
There are many hearts in this hand; how many do you have?
红桃，。
hóng táo Shì hóng sè, hēi táo shì hēi sè.
Hearts are red, and spades are black.

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.

红 means red and 桃 means peach, together naming the red heart suit in cards.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 紅; 红 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìsilk

Sound part声符shēngfú

工

工gōng紅hóng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 紅 puts 糸 (silk) next to 工, which gives the sound; the simplified 红 is a later shorthand.

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

木兆桃

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

兆

兆zhào桃táo(r)

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

桃 combines 木, meaning tree, with 兆, which gives the sound.

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