软管 (ruǎn guǎn) — hose; flexible tubing | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

hoseflexible tubing

Measure word · 根

Examples

软管。
Wǒ yòng ruǎn guǎn jiāo huā.
I use a hose to water the flowers.
软管。
Xǐ chē de shí hou xū yào yì tiáo ruǎn guǎn chōng xǐ.
When washing the car, you need a hose to rinse it.
软管。
Gōng chǎng lǐ de ruǎn guǎn shì yòng lái shū sòng yè tǐ de.
The hoses in the factory are used to transport liquids.

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.

The 软 suggests softness, and 管 marks a tube, giving flexible tubing.

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 軟; 软 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

車車jūcarriage

Sound part声符shēngfú

耎

耎ruǎn軟ruǎn

Same sound today

The traditional form 軟 pairs 車 (carriage) with 耎 as a sound part; 耎 depicted a man under rain, and simplified 软 uses a later right side instead of 耎.

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

竹官管

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

官

官guān管guǎn

Same sound today

管 has 竹 (bamboo) on top to show it relates to bamboo, and 官 gives its sound.

Appears in

Miscellaneous Objects

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