货箱 (huò xiāng) — packing box; container (for shipping goods) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

packing boxcontainer (for shipping goods)

Measure word · 个

Easily confused

藿香huò xiāngsound-alikewrinkled giant hyssop (a medicinal herb)

Examples

货箱。
Zhè ge huò xiāng lǐ zhuāng mǎn le diàn zǐ chǎn pǐn.
This container is packed with electronic products.
货箱。
Gōng rén bǎ huò xiāng bān dào kǎ chē shàng.
The workers moved the packing box onto the truck.
货箱。
Měi gè huò xiāng dōu yǒu wéi yī de biān hào.
Each container has a unique serial number.

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.

货 (goods) and 箱 (box) combine to mean a box for shipping goods.

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 貨; 货 is its simplified writing.

化貝貨

Meaning part形符xíngfú

貝貝bèishell, money

Sound part声符shēngfú

化

化huà貨huò

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 貨 pairs 化 (sound) with 貝 (shell, money) to write valuable goods; the simplified 货 is a shorthand.

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

𥫗相箱

Meaning part形符xíngfú

𥫗Written in full as竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

相

相xiāng箱xiāng

Same sound today

箱 combines 竹, showing bamboo, with 相 as a sound part, to write a bamboo box or case.

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