酒窝 (jiǔ wō) — dimple (on the cheek when smiling)

Definition

noun

dimple (on the cheek when smiling)

Measure word · 个

，酒窝。
Tā yí xiào qǐ lái, liǎn shàng jiù huì lù chū liǎng gè qiǎn qiǎn de jiǔ wō.
When she smiles, two shallow dimples appear on her cheeks.
酒窝，。
Nǐ de jiǔ wō zhēn kě ài, ràng rén kàn le hěn kāi xīn.
Your dimples are so cute — they make people happy to see them.
酒窝。
Nà ge xiǎo nǚ hái yǒu yí duì shēn shēn de jiǔ wō.
That little girl has a pair of deep dimples.

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.

“酒” suggests a small wine cup and “窝” means a hollow, together naming the cheek hollow when smiling.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

酉

酉yǒu酒jiǔ

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

酒 pairs 酉, the original picture for this word, with 水 (water), added later to distinguish it.

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 窩; 窝 is its simplified writing.

穴咼窩

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

咼

咼wāi窩wō

Same sound today

The traditional form 窩 uses 穴, a cave, for meaning and 咼 for sound; the simplified 窝 is a later shorthand.

Appears in