踏板 (tà bǎn) — pedal, treadle (foot-operated lever or switch) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

pedaltreadle (foot-operated lever or switch)

Measure word · 块

Examples

踏板，。
Qì chē de tà bǎn huài le, bì xū mǎ shàng xiū.
The car's pedal is broken and must be repaired immediately.
踏板。
Gāng qín de tà bǎn kě yǐ yòng lái gǎi biàn yīn sè.
The piano's pedal can be used to change the timbre.
踏板，。
Tā yòng lì cǎi xià tà bǎn, jī qì jiù qǐ dòng le.
He stepped hard on the pedal, and the machine started.

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.

踏 gives stepping and 板 gives a board, naming a board for stepping.

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

足足zúfoot

Sound part声符shēngfú

沓

Same sound today

踏 has 足 (foot) as its left part to show a foot-related meaning, and 沓 as its right part to give the sound.

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

木反板

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

反

反fǎn板bǎn

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

板 pairs 木 (tree) with 反 as a sound part.

Appears in

Miscellaneous Objects

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