茅厕 (máo cè) — latrine (dialectal) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Dialect/colloquial word for a latrine or outdoor toilet — rougher and more rural-sounding than the standard 厕所. Compare also 卫生间 (indoor bathroom).

noun

latrine (dialectal)

Measure word · 个

Examples

茅厕，。
Zhè ge máo cè tài zāng le, wǒ men huàn gè dì fāng ba.
This latrine is too dirty, let's find another place.
茅厕。
Nóng cūn de máo cè hé chéng lǐ de cè suǒ bù yí yàng.
Rural latrines are different from city toilets.
，茅厕。
Tā xiǎo shí hou jiā lǐ méi yǒu chōu shuǐ mǎ tǒng, zhǐ yòng máo cè.
When he was a child, his home didn't have a flush toilet, only a latrine.

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.

厕cètoilet

The sense of 茅 as thatch and 厕 as a toilet gives a simple latrine.

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.

艹矛茅

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎoplant

Sound part声符shēngfú

矛

矛máo茅máo

Same sound today

茅 pairs 艹 (plant) with 矛 as a sound component; the plant part appears in full as 艸.

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 廁; 厕 is its simplified writing.

广則廁

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

則

則zé廁cè

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 廁 is made from 广 and 則; 則 gives the sound, and 广 relates to the meaning. The simplified 厕 is a later shorthand.

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