锚 (máo) — anchor | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

anchor

Measure word · 只

锚。
Chuán zhǎng mìng lìng shuǐ shǒu bǎ máo pāo xià qù.
The captain ordered the sailors to drop the anchor.
锚。
Zhè sōu dà chuán yǒu liǎng gè máo.
This large ship has two anchors.
，锚。
Zài kùn nan shí qī, jiā rén shì tā xīn líng de máo.
During difficult times, his family was the anchor of his soul.

Sound + meaning

六书liùshū

形声xíngshēng

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 錨; 锚 is its simplified writing.

金苗錨

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

苗

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

The traditional form 錨 uses 金 for metal and 苗 for sound.

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