胸围 (xiōng wéi) — chest measurement, bust circumference

Definition

noun

chest measurementbust circumference

胸围？
Zhè jiàn yī fu de xiōng wéi shì duō shǎo?
What is the chest measurement of this piece of clothing?
胸围。
Tā de xiōng wéi shì jiǔ shí lí mǐ.
Her bust measurement is 90 centimeters.
胸围。
Mǎi chèn shān qián zuì hǎo liáng yí xià xiōng wéi.
It's best to measure your chest before buying a shirt.

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.

围wéicircumference

'胸' specifies the body part and '围' names the measuring around it, giving chest circumference.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

匈

匈xiōng胸xiōng

Same sound today

胸 adds 肉 (meat/flesh) to the original form 匈, which provides the sound.

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 圍; 围 is its simplified writing.

囗韋圍

Meaning part形符xíngfú

囗囗wéienclosure

Sound part声符shēngfú

韋

韋wéi圍wéi

Same sound today

The traditional form 圍 pairs 囗 (enclosure) with 韋, which gives the sound; 围 is the simplified form of 圍.

Appears in