钓饵 (diào ěr) — bait (for fishing); lure, enticement | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literally 'fishing bait' (钓 = to fish, 饵 = bait). The second sense — 'lure, enticement' — extends this metaphorically to anything used to attract or trick a person.

noun

bait (for fishing)lureenticement

Examples

钓饵，。
Tā yòng qiū yǐn zuò diào ěr, hěn kuài jiù diào dào le yì tiáo yú.
He used earthworms as bait and quickly caught a fish.
钓饵。
Zhè zhǒng diào ěr zhuān mén yòng lái xī yǐn dà yú.
This type of bait is specially used to attract big fish.
钓饵，。
Piàn zi yòng gāo é huí bào zuò diào ěr, yǐn yòu rén men shàng dàng.
The swindler used high returns as bait to lure people into the trap.

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

钓 means to fish, and 饵 is bait, so the word names bait 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.

金勺釣

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.

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 餌; 饵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

食食shíto eat

Sound part声符shēngfú

耳

耳ěr餌ěr

Same sound today

The traditional form 餌 pairs 食 (to eat) with 耳, which gives the sound; 饵 is a simplified shorthand.

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