锦囊 (jǐn nāng) — silk bag (historical: small ornate pouch for storing valuables or writings); (figurative) clever strategy, wise plan (usually in 锦囊妙计)

Definition

Literally a small ornate silk pouch (historical sense, rarely used alone today). In modern use it almost always appears in the set phrase 锦囊妙计, meaning a clever strategy or wise plan.

noun
silk bag (historical: small ornate pouch for storing valuables or writings)(figurative) clever strategywise plan (usually in 锦囊妙计)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 锦囊，。
    Tā dǎ kāi jǐn nāng, qǔ chū le yì fēng xìn.
    He opened the silk bag and took out a letter.
  • 锦囊。
    Zhè ge jǐn nāng miào jì ràng wǒ men shùn lì jiě jué le nán tí.
    This clever plan helped us solve the difficult problem smoothly.
  • 锦囊。
    Lǎo shī gěi měi gè xué shēng zhǔn bèi le yí gè xué xí jǐn nāng.
    The teacher prepared a 'learning kit' of tips for each student.

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.

锦jǐnsilk
囊nángbag

锦 is fine silk, and 囊 is a small bag, so 锦囊 is a silk pouch.

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 錦; 锦 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
帛帛bó
Sound part声符shēngfú
金
金jīn錦jǐn
Same sound today

The traditional form 錦 pairs 金, which gives its sound, with 帛, cloth.

Open 锦 →

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
㯻㯻㯻bag
Sound part声符shēngfú
襄
襄xiāng囊náng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

囊 is made from 㯻, a tied bag with items inside, plus an abbreviated form of 襄 that gives the sound.

Open 囊 →

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