螺帽 (luó mào) — nut (threaded fastener for a screw or bolt)

Definition

noun
nut (threaded fastener for a screw or bolt)
Measure word · 颗

Examples

  • 螺帽，。
    Zhè ge luó mào tài xiǎo le, wǒ xū yào yí gè dà yì diǎn de.
    This nut is too small; I need a bigger one.
  • 螺帽，。
    Qǐng bǎ luó mào níng jǐn, bù rán huì sōng diào.
    Please tighten the nut, otherwise it will come loose.
  • 螺帽。
    Tā mǎi le jǐ kē luó mào lái xiū lǐ jī qì.
    He bought a few nuts to repair the machine.

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.

螺luóscrew thread
帽màocap

“螺” (screw thread) and “帽” (cap) combine to name the cap-like fastener for a screw.

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
虫虫chóng
Sound part声符shēngfú
累
累lèi螺luó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

螺 combines 虫, a part associated with creatures, with 累, which gives the sound.

Open 螺 →

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
巾巾jīncloth
Sound part声符shēngfú
冒
冒mào帽mào
Same sound today

帽 uses 巾 (cloth) for the meaning and 冒 for the sound. The earlier form 冃 was later written with 目 and 巾 added.

Open 帽 →

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