隔板 (gé bǎn) — partition (a dividing panel or screen)

Definition

noun

partition (a dividing panel or screen)

Measure word · 块

隔板。
Wǒ men zài shū fáng hé kè tīng zhī jiān zhuāng le yí gè gé bǎn.
We installed a partition between the study and the living room.
隔板。
Zhè ge guì zi lǐ de gé bǎn kě yǐ chāi xià lái.
The partition inside this cabinet can be removed.
隔板，。
Bàn gōng shì yòng gé bǎn gé kāi, měi gè rén dōu yǒu dú lì de kōng jiān.
The office is divided by partitions, giving everyone their own space.

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.

隔géseparate

隔 means separate and 板 means board, so together they mean a board that separates.

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.

阝鬲隔

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阝Written in full as阜fùwall

Sound part声符shēngfú

鬲

鬲gé隔gé

Same sound today

隔 puts 阝, a wall, with 鬲, which gives the sound gé, to show separating with a wall.

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

木反板

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

反

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

板 pairs 木 (tree) with 反 as a sound part.

Appears in