遮住 (zhē zhù) — to cover up, to block, to obscure

Definition

A verb–complement (离合词) meaning 'cover up / block from view.' Used when something physically or visually hides another thing, like 用手遮住脸.

verb
to cover upto blockto obscure

Examples

  • 遮住。
    Qǐng yòng shū běn zhē zhù nǐ de yǎn jing.
    Please use a book to cover your eyes.
  • 遮住，。
    Chuāng lián zhē zhù le yáng guāng, fáng jiān àn le xià lái.
    The curtains blocked the sunlight, and the room darkened.
  • 遮住，。
    Tā yòng shǒu zhē zhù liǎn, bù xiǎng ràng bié rén kàn jiàn.
    He covered his face with his hands, not wanting others to see.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

遮zhēcover
住zhùhold

遮 means cover, and 住 shows the covering is held in place.

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
辶Written in full as辵chuòroad
Sound part声符shēngfú
庶
庶shù遮zhē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

遮 has 辶, a road-like part, and 庶 (shù, 'numerous'), which gives it its sound.

Open 遮 →

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
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
主
主zhǔ住zhù
Same sound today

住 pairs 亻, the person radical (written fully as 人), with 主, which supplies the sound.

Open 住 →

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