织布机 (zhī bù jī) — loom (for weaving cloth)

Definition

noun
loom (for weaving cloth)
Measure word · 台

Examples

  • 织布机。
    Zhè tái zhī bù jī néng zhī chū hěn xì de bù.
    This loom can weave very fine cloth.
  • 织布机。
    Tā měi tiān yòng zhī bù jī zhī bù liǎng xiǎo shí.
    She weaves cloth on the loom for two hours every day.
  • 织布机。
    Gǔ lǎo de zhī bù jī yǐ jīng bèi xiàn dài jī qì qǔ dài le.
    Ancient looms have been replaced by modern machines.

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.

织布weave cloth
织zhīweave布bùcloth
动宾Verb + object
机jīmachine

织 means weave, 布 means cloth, and 机 means machine; together they name a machine for weaving cloth.

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 織; 织 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
戠
戠zhí織zhī
Same sound today

The traditional form 織 uses 糸, silk, with 戠 for the sound. The simplified 织 is a later shorthand.

Open 织 →

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
巾巾jīnkerchief
Sound part声符shēngfú
父
父fù布bù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

布 pairs 巾, a kerchief, with 父 as a sound part.

Open 布 →

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
木木mùtree; wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
几
几jǐ机jī
Same sound today

The left part is 木 (tree; wood), and the right part 几 gives the sound.

Open 机 →

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