锈迹 (xiù jī) — rust stain | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

rust stain

Measure word · 块

锈迹。
Zhè bǎ jiù dāo shàng bù mǎn le xiù jī.
This old knife is covered in rust stains.
锈迹。
Qiáng jiǎo de xiù jī shuō míng zhè lǐ céng jīng lòu shuǐ.
The rust stain in the corner shows that water once leaked here.
锈迹。
Tā yòng shā zhǐ zǐ xì dǎ mó diào le tiě mén shàng de xiù jī.
He carefully sanded off the rust stains on the iron door.

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.

迹jìtrace/mark

锈 'rust' and 迹 'trace/mark' together name a rust stain.

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 鏽; 锈 is its simplified writing.

金肅鏽

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

肅

肅sù鏽xiù

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

The etymology shown is for 鏽: 鏽 pairs 金 (metal) with 肅 as the sound part.

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

辶Written in full as辵chuòmove

Sound part声符shēngfú

朿

朿cì迹jì

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

迹 pairs 辶, a movement part, with 亦, a sound part; an older form used 朿.