茄子 (qié zi) — eggplant | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

eggplant

Measure word · 个

茄子，茄子。
Wǒ zuó tiān mǎi le jǐ gēn qié zi, jīn wǎn zuò yú xiāng qié zi.
I bought a few eggplants yesterday and will make fish-fragrant eggplant tonight.
茄子，。
Zhè zhǒng qié zi bǐ pǔ tōng de gèng ruǎn, shì hé chǎo zhe chī.
This kind of eggplant is softer than the ordinary one, good for stir-frying.
茄子，。
Tā bù xǐ huan qié zi de wèi dào, měi cì dōu yào tiāo chū lái.
He doesn't like the taste of eggplant and always picks it out.

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.

茄qiéeggplant

子zǐcommon ending

茄 gives the eggplant sense, while 子 completes the familiar name.

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.

艹加茄

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

加

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

In 茄, the top 艹 marks a plant, and the lower 加 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.

Appears in