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铁丝网 (tiě sī wǎng) — wire mesh; wire netting; barbed wire (used as an obstacle or fence)

Definition

noun
wire meshwire nettingbarbed wire (used as an obstacle or fence)
Measure word · 道

Examples

  • 铁丝网。
    Biān jìng shàng ān zhuāng le tiě sī wǎng.
    Barbed wire was installed on the border.
  • 铁丝网。
    Zhè ge lóng zi shì yòng tiě sī wǎng zuò de.
    This cage is made of wire mesh.
  • 铁丝网。
    Gōng dì shàng wéi le yì quān tiě sī wǎng.
    The construction site was surrounded by a circle of wire netting.

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.

铁丝iron wire
铁tiěiron丝sīwire
偏正Modifier + head
网wǎngnet

铁 and 丝 make iron wire, and 网 makes it a net or mesh.

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 鐵; 铁 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢧤
𢧤𢧤鐵tiě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鐵 pairs 金 (metal) with 𢧤 as a sound part; the simplified 铁 is a later shorthand.

Open 铁 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 絲; 丝 is its simplified writing.

  • 糸糸mì
  • 糸糸mì

In the traditional form 絲, the shape is two 糸 written together; this is about 絲, not the simplified 丝.

Open 丝 →

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 網; 网 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
罔
罔wǎng網wǎng
Same sound today

The traditional form 網 pairs 糸 (rope) with 罔 to give the sound; the simplified 网 is a later shorthand.

Open 网 →
Appears in
Materials & SubstancesMiscellaneous Objects

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