草窝 (cǎo wō) — grass nest (literal nest made of grass); humble dwelling; shabby home (figurative)

Definition

A 草窝 is literally a 'grass nest' (where birds nest), and figuratively a humble, shabby home. The image of a crude grass nest carries a self-deprecating warmth — used to talk about one's own modest dwelling with affection, not pity.

noun
grass nest (literal nest made of grass)humble dwellingshabby home (figurative)

Examples

  • 草窝。
    Xiǎo niǎo zài shù shàng zuò le yí gè cǎo wō.
    The little bird made a grass nest in the tree.
  • 草窝，。
    Tā suī rán zhù zài cǎo wō lǐ, dàn shēng huó dé hěn kāi xīn.
    Although he lives in a humble dwelling, he lives happily.
  • 草窝，。
    Zhè ge cǎo wō suī rán jiǎn lòu, què shì tā de jiā.
    This shabby home, though simple, is his home.

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.

草cǎograss
窝wōnest

The 窝 made of 草 is a grass nest.

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
早
早zǎo草cǎo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

草 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 早, which gives the sound. The form originally referred to another word and was later used for the grass sense.

Open 草 →

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 窩; 窝 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
穴穴xuécave
Sound part声符shēngfú
咼
咼wāi窩wō
Same sound today

The traditional form 窩 uses 穴, a cave, for meaning and 咼 for sound; the simplified 窝 is a later shorthand.

Open 窝 →

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