茅坑 (máo kēng) — latrine pit (rustic, outdoor toilet) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A rural, pit-style outdoor toilet — rough and crude, unlike modern 卫生间 or 厕所. Also used figuratively for a filthy place (and in slang, for a dim-witted person).

noun

latrine pit (rustic, outdoor toilet)

Measure word · 个

Examples

茅坑。
Nóng cūn de lǎo fáng zi hái zài yòng máo kēng.
The old houses in the countryside still use latrine pits.
茅坑，。
Nà ge máo kēng tài zāng le, méi rén yuàn yì yòng.
That latrine pit is too dirty; nobody wants to use it.
茅坑，。
Tā zhàn zhe máo kēng bù lā shǐ, bié rén dōu méi fǎ gōng zuò.
He's squatting on the latrine without shitting — others can't work.

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.

茅, meaning thatch, and 坑, meaning pit, combine to name a rustic pit 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.

亢土坑

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔsoil

Sound part声符shēngfú

亢

亢kàng坑kēng(r)

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

The current form 坑 uses 土 (soil) for the meaning and 亢 for the sound.

Appears in

Home & Housing Public Facilities

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