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赌局 (dǔ jú) — gambling den (a place where gambling is organized); gambling party (an event where gambling takes place)

Definition

noun
gambling den (a place where gambling is organized)gambling party (an event where gambling takes place)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 赌局。
    Tā jīng cháng qù nà ge dǔ jú.
    He often goes to that gambling den.
  • 赌局。
    Zhè ge dǔ jú bèi jǐng chá chá le.
    This gambling party was raided by the police.
  • 赌局。
    Tā zài dǔ jú lǐ shū le hěn duō qián.
    He lost a lot of money in the gambling den.

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.

赌dǔgambling
局júevent

The gambling idea specifies the 局 as a gambling event or gathering.

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 賭; 赌 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell; money
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě賭dǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 賭 combines 貝 (shell; money) with 者, and this shape expresses the meaning to wager or to bet. The simplified 赌 is a shorthand.

Open 赌 →

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
尸尸shī
Sound part声符shēngfú
句
句jù局jú
Same sound today

The shape of 局 pairs 尸, a meaning part, with 句, a sound part.

Open 局 →
Appears in
Gambling & Chance

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