绸带 (chóu dài) — silk ribbon | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

silk ribbon

Measure word · 条

绸带。
Tā tóu shàng xì le yì tiáo hóng sè de chóu dài.
She tied a red silk ribbon in her hair.
绸带。
Bǐ sài zhōng huò dé de chóu dài bèi guà zài qiáng shàng.
The silk ribbon obtained in the competition was hung on the wall.
绸带。
Zhè tiáo chóu dài hěn shì hé yòng lái bāo zhuāng lǐ wù.
This silk ribbon is very suitable for wrapping gifts.

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.

绸 means silk, and 带 means a band, giving a silk ribbon.

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 綢; 绸 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìsilk

Sound part声符shēngfú

周

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

In the traditional form 綢, the left part 糸 is silk and the right part 周 is used for the sound; the simplified 绸 is a later shorthand.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 帶; 带 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 帶 was drawn as a woven belt; the simplified 带 is a later shorthand.