长椅 (cháng yī) — bench | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

bench

Measure word · 条

Examples

长椅。
Gōng yuán lǐ yǒu hěn duō cháng yī gòng yóu kè xiū xi.
There are many benches in the park for visitors to rest on.
长椅，。
Tā zuò zài cháng yī shàng kàn shū, yí kàn jiù shì yí gè xià wǔ.
He sat on the bench reading, and ended up reading for an entire afternoon.
长椅。
Zhè tiáo cháng yī kě yǐ zuò sān gè rén.
This bench can seat three people.

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.

长 gives the length and 椅 gives a chair; a long chair is a bench.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

木奇椅

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

奇

奇qí椅yǐ

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

椅 combines 木 (wood) with 奇, which gives its sound.

Appears in

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