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耳机 (ěr jī) — headphones; earphones

Definition

A device for listening to audio privately — headphones or earphones. Don't confuse with 耳朵 (ěrduo), the body part 'ear' or a cup's handle; 耳机 always pairs with 听.

noun
headphonesearphones
Measure word · 副

Examples

  • 耳机？
    ěr jī Zài nǎ r?
    Where are the earphones?
  • 耳机。
    Wǒ yòng ěr jī tīng yīn yuè.
    I use earphones to listen to music.
  • 耳机。
    Nǐ de ěr jī hěn hǎo kàn.
    Your earphones look very nice.

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.

耳ěrear
机jīmachine

耳机 is a 机 used for the 耳, so it means earphones.

Characters in this word

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

耳 is drawn as a picture of an ear.

Open 耳 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 3Everyday Objects

Browse more HSK 3 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.