钥匙环 (yào shi huán) — key ring; keychain

Definition

noun
key ringkeychain
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 钥匙环。
    Wǒ bǎ wǒ de yào shi huán fàng zài bāo lǐ.
    I put my key ring in my bag.
  • 钥匙环？
    Nǐ de yào shi huán shàng yǒu jǐ gè yào shi?
    How many keys are on your key ring?
  • 钥匙环。
    Zhè ge yào shi huán shì wǒ zài shāng diàn mǎi de.
    This key ring is the one I bought 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.

钥匙key
钥yàokey匙chíkey
联合Side by side
环huánring

钥 and 匙 together mean key, while 环 means ring, giving a ring that holds keys.

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 鑰; 钥 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
龠
龠yuè鑰⁰yuè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鑰 uses 金 to show a metal thing and 龠 to give the sound; the simplified 钥 is a later shorthand.

Open 钥 →

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
匕匕bǐspoon
Sound part声符shēngfú
是
是shì匙chí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

匙 is made of 匕, meaning spoon, and 是, giving a sound hint.

Open 匙 →

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 環; 环 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
睘
睘qióng環huán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 環 pairs 玉 (jade) with a sound part; the simplified 环 is a shorthand and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 环 →

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