锁门 (suǒ mén) — to lock the door (the verb already contains the…

Definition

A 离合词 (separable verb): 锁 and 门 split apart for aspect/result markers or to insert a modifier, as in 锁上门, 锁过门, 锁一下门. Don't write 锁门着 — use 锁着门.

verb

to lock the door (the verb already contains the object 'door')

锁门。
Nǐ zǒu zhī qián jì de suǒ mén.
Remember to lock the door before you leave.
。
Tā suǒ shàng mén jiù zǒu le.
He locked the door and left.
，。
Wǒ yǐ jīng suǒ guò mén le, nǐ fàng xīn.
I've already locked the door, don't worry.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

The action 锁 is applied to 门, so the meaning is lock the door.

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 鎖; 锁 is its simplified writing.

金𧴪鎖

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

𧴪

𧴪𧴪鎖suǒ

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

The traditional form 鎖 pairs 金 (metal) with a sound component, 𧴪; the simplified 锁 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the original parts.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 門; 门 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 門 pictures a gate as two door shapes side by side; the simplified 门 is a later shorthand.

Appears in