蜘蛛网 (zhī zhū wǎng) — spider web, cobweb | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

spider webcobweb

Measure word · 张

Examples

蜘蛛网。
Qiáng jiǎo yǒu yí gè zhī zhū wǎng.
There is a spider web in the corner.
蜘蛛网。
Tā yòng sào zhou bǎ zhī zhū wǎng nòng diào le.
He used a broom to knock down the spider web.
蜘蛛网。
zhī zhū wǎng Shàng yǒu yì zhī xiǎo chóng zi.
There is a small bug on the spider web.

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.

蜘蛛spider

蜘zhī蛛zhū

蜘蛛 names the spider and 网 names the web; together they describe the web it spins.

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.

虫知蜘

Meaning part形符xíngfú

虫虫chónginsect; insect-like creature

Sound part声符shēngfú

知

Same sound today

蜘 uses 虫 for an insect-like creature and 知 for its sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

虫朱蛛

Meaning part形符xíngfú

虫虫chónginsect

Sound part声符shēngfú

朱

朱zhū蛛zhū

Same sound today

蛛 pairs 虫 (insect) with 朱, which gives the sound; it grew from an older drawing of a spider.

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 網; 网 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìrope

Sound part声符shēngfú

罔

罔wǎng網wǎng

Same sound today

The traditional form 網 pairs 糸 (rope) with 罔 to give the sound; the simplified 网 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

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