臂弯 (bì wān) — the crook of the arm | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

the crook of the arm

Examples

臂弯。
Tā bǎ hái zi bào zài bì wān lǐ.
She held the child in the crook of her arm.
臂弯，。
Lǎo rén de bì wān hěn yǒu lì, bāng tā zhàn le qǐ lái.
The old man's arm crook was very strong, helping him stand up.
臂弯。
Tā shòu shāng de dì fāng zài bì wān fù jìn.
The place he injured is near the crook of his arm.

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.

臂 (arm) modifies 弯 (bend), naming the crook of the arm.

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

肉肉ròumeat; flesh

Sound part声符shēngfú

辟

辟pì臂bei

Same sound today

臂 includes 肉, meaning meat or flesh, and 辟, which gives the character its 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 彎; 弯 is its simplified writing.

弓䜌彎

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

䜌

䜌䜌彎wān

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

The traditional form 彎 pairs 弓 (bow) with 䜌 as a sound part; the simplified 弯 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

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