镜子 (jìng zi) — mirror | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

mirror

Measure word · 面, 个

镜子。
Qiáng shàng guà zhe yí miàn jìng zi.
There is a mirror hanging on the wall.
。
Tā měi tiān chū mén qián dōu yào zhào jìng zi.
She looks in the mirror every day before going out.
镜子。
Zhè miàn jìng zi cā dé hěn gān jìng.
This mirror is wiped very clean.

Derived word

构词法gòucífǎ

后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

镜 gives the mirror idea, and 子 completes the everyday word for it.

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 鏡; 镜 is its simplified writing.

金竟鏡

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

竟

Same sound today

The traditional form 鏡 puts 金, metal, next to 竟 to give the sound. The simplified 镜 is a later shorthand.

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Appears in