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记号 (jì hao) — mark, symbol, notation

Definition

记号 is a simple, everyday 'mark' you make by hand — a scratch, tick, or small drawing. Unlike 标志 or 符号, which are formal/standardized signs and symbols, 记号 is informal and personal.

noun
marksymbolnotation
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 记号。
    Tā zài zhǐ shàng huà le yí gè jì hao.
    He drew a mark on the paper.
  • 记号。
    Zhè xiē jì hao biǎo shì bù tóng de yì yì.
    These symbols represent different meanings.
  • 记号。
    Qǐng zài zhè ge wèi zhì zuò yí gè jì hao.
    Please put a mark at this position.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

记jìmark
号hàosign

记 mark and 号 sign combine into a visible mark.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 記; 记 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech; words
Sound part声符shēngfú
己
己jǐ記jì
Same sound today

The traditional form 記 pairs 言 (speech; words) with 己 as a sound part; the simplified 记 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the historical component.

Open 记 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 口口kǒumouth
  • 丂丂kǎoexhaled air; a tiger's cry

The shape 号 comes from 口, a mouth, and 丂, exhaled air or a tiger's cry.

Open 号 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.