花子 (huā zi) — beggar (old term) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

An old, literary term for 'beggar' — found mostly in classical-style writing and historical fiction, rarely used in modern spoken Chinese.

noun

beggar (old term)

Measure word · 个

。
Tā zài jiē shàng kàn dào le yí gè lǎo huā zi.
He saw an old beggar on the street.
花子。
Zhè běn xiǎo shuō lǐ yǒu hěn duō kě lián de huā zi.
This novel has many pitiable beggars.
花子。
Xiàn zài hěn shǎo yǒu rén shuō huā zi zhè ge cí le.
Nowadays few people use the word 'flower child' for beggar.

Derived word

构词法gòucífǎ

后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

子zǐnominalizing

The old term 花子 for a beggar combines 花 flower with 子; the beggar sense belongs to the whole form.

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.

艹化花

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

化

Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.