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纽扣儿 (niǔ kòu ér) — (noun) button (on clothing)

Definition

The small round button that fastens clothing, sewn onto shirts, coats, etc. The added 儿 is a casual, spoken-style ending — in writing, 纽扣 is more common.

noun
button (on clothing)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 纽扣儿。
    Zhè ge niǔ kòu ér diào le.
    This button fell off.
  • 纽扣儿？
    Nǐ bāng wǒ bǎ niǔ kòu ér féng shàng hǎo ma?
    Can you help me sew the button on?
  • 纽扣儿。
    Dà yī shàng de niǔ kòu ér shì jīn sè de.
    The buttons on the coat are golden.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

纽扣button
纽niǔbutton扣kòuclasp
联合Coordinate
儿érer

纽扣 uses 纽 and 扣 for the fastening button, and 儿 gives the colloquial form 纽扣儿.

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 紐; 纽 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
丑
丑chǒu紐niǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 紐 has 糸 (silk) for tying and 丑 for sound; 丑 also points to a claw or hand, fitting a handle. The simplified 纽 is a later shorthand.

Open 纽 →

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
手手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
口
口kǒu扣kòu
Same sound today

扣 puts 手 (hand) beside 口 (mouth); 口 gives the sound, while 手 shows it is about a hand action.

Open 扣 →

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

The shape 儿 is a simple drawing of a standing person, used as an alternate form of the character for person.

Open 儿 →
Appears in
HSK 2.0 Level 6

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