话匣子 (huà xiá zi) — (dated) phonograph or old-fashioned radio; (figurative) chatterbox; someone who talks incessantly

Definition

A colloquial noun with two very different senses: literally a dated 'phonograph / old radio', and figuratively a 'chatterbox' — someone who just won't stop talking.

noun
(dated) phonograph or old-fashioned radio(figurative) chatterboxsomeone who talks incessantly
Measure word · 台

Examples

  • ，话匣子。
    Tā yí jiàn dào lǎo péng you, huà xiá zi jiù dǎ kāi le.
    As soon as she saw an old friend, she started chattering away.
  • 话匣子。
    Wǒ men bàn gōng shì nà ge huà xiá zi cóng zǎo shuō dào wǎn.
    That chatterbox in our office talks from morning till night.
  • 话匣子，。
    Yé ye hái liú zhe nà tái lǎo shì huà xiá zi, yǐ jīng bù néng tīng le.
    Grandpa still keeps that old-fashioned radio, but it doesn't work anymore.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

话匣speech box
话huàspeech匣xiábox
偏正Modifier + head
子zǐthing

“话” and “匣” suggest a talking box, and “子” finishes the familiar name.

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 話; 话 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánword
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠯑
𠯑𠯑話huà
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 話, 言 relates to words and 𠯑 gives the sound; the simplified 话 is a shorthand, so its right side is not that sound part.

Open 话 →

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
匚匚fāng
Sound part声符shēngfú
甲
甲jiǎ匣xiá
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

匣 uses 匚 to show the idea of a box or case, and 甲 to give the sound.

Open 匣 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →

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