钓钩 (diào gōu) — fishhook

Definition

noun
fishhook
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 钓钩。
    Tā yòng diào gōu diào yú.
    He uses a fishhook to fish.
  • 钓钩。
    Zhè ge diào gōu hěn fēng lì.
    This fishhook is very sharp.
  • 钓钩。
    Tā mǎi le yí tào xīn de diào gōu.
    He bought a new set of fishhooks.

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.

钓diàoto fish
钩gōuhook

钓 means to fish, and 钩 is a hook, so the word names a hook used for fishing.

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 釣; 钓 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
勺
勺sháo釣diào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 釣 uses 金 for metal and 勺 for its sound; the simplified 钓 is a later shorthand.

Open 钓 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 钩 →

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