耳 (ěr) — ear (bound form, used in compounds); side, flanking (in compounds)
Definition
耳 is a bound morpheme meaning 'ear' — it never stands alone, always appearing in compounds like 耳朵 (ěrduo) or 耳机 (headphones). The 'side' sense is rare, used in literary terms such as 耳旁 (at one's side).
bound form
ear (bound form, used in compounds)sideflanking (in compounds)
Examples
- 。Wǒ de ěr duo hěn téng.My ear hurts.
- 。Wǒ mǎi le yí fù xīn ěr jī.I bought a new pair of earphones.
- 。Tā men yòng ěr yǔ jiāo liú.They communicated in whispers.
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