脚蹼 (jiǎo pǔ) — flippers (for swimming or diving)

Definition

noun

flippers (for swimming or diving)

Measure word · 双

。
Wǒ qù shāng diàn mǎi le yì shuāng jiǎo pǔ.
I went to the store and bought a pair of flippers.
脚蹼。
Tā dài zhe jiǎo pǔ zài shuǐ lǐ yóu dé hěn kuài.
He swims very fast in the water wearing flippers.
脚蹼。
Bié wàng le dài nǐ de jiǎo pǔ.
Don't forget to bring your flippers.

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.

蹼pǔwebbing

脚 (foot) and 蹼 (webbing) combine to mean a fin-like webbing for the foot.

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 腳; 脚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat, body

Sound part声符shēngfú

卻

卻què腳jiǎo

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 腳 uses ⺼ for a body part and 卻 for the sound; the simplified 脚 is a later shorthand.

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

足足zúfoot

Sound part声符shēngfú

菐

菐pú蹼pǔ

Same sound today

蹼 is built from 足, meaning foot, and 菐, which gives the sound.