线团 (xiàn tuán) — ball of thread; ball of string

Definition

noun

ball of threadball of string

Measure word · 个

线团。
Wǒ mǎi le yí gè xiàn tuán.
I bought a ball of thread.
线团。
Tā yòng xiàn tuán zhī le yí jiàn máo yī.
She knitted a sweater using a ball of yarn.
线团。
Māo hěn xǐ huan wán xiàn tuán.
The cat really likes playing with a ball of string.

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.

线 gives thread and 团 gives a ball or lump, together naming a ball of thread.

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 線; 线 is its simplified writing.

糹泉線

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糹Written in full as糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

泉

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

The traditional form 線 uses 糹 (silk/thread) to show the meaning and 泉 to suggest the sound; the simplified 线 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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 團; 团 is its simplified writing.

囗專團

Meaning part形符xíngfú

囗囗wéi

Sound part声符shēngfú

專

專zhuān團tuán

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

The form 團 combines 囗 as a meaning part with 專 as a sound part; the story is about 團, not about 团.