钉书机 (dìng shū jī) — stapler | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

stapler

Measure word · 个

Examples

钉书机。
Qǐng bāng wǒ ná yí xià dìng shū jī.
Please help me get the stapler.
钉书机。
Zhè tái dìng shū jī kě yǐ dīng hěn duō zhǐ.
This stapler can staple a lot of paper.
钉书机。
Wǒ zài shāng diàn mǎi le yí gè dìng shū jī.
I bought a stapler at the store.

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.

钉书staple paper

钉dīngstaple书shūpaper

动宾Verb + object

机jīmachine

钉书 describes fastening paper, and 机 names the device.

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 釘; 钉 is its simplified writing.

金丁釘

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

丁dīng釘dīng

Same sound today

The traditional 釘 pairs 金 (metal) with 丁 for sound; some theorize 丁 originally meant “nail,” so 釘 was created to write that word with metal added. The simplified 钉 is a shorthand.

Open 钉 →

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 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

聿聿yùwriting brush

Sound part声符shēngfú

者

者zhě書shū

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

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Open 书 →

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