顶盖 (dǐng gài) — roof; top cover | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

rooftop cover

Measure word · 个

顶盖。
Zhè zuò fáng zi de dǐng gài shì yòng wǎ piàn pù de.
The roof of this house is made of tiles.
顶盖。
Qì chē de dǐng gài kě yǐ dǎ kāi kàn xīng xing.
The car's roof can open to see the stars.
顶盖，。
Píng zi de dǐng gài nǐng dé hěn jǐn, dǎ bù kāi.
The bottle's lid is screwed on tight and can't be opened.

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.

'顶' means top and '盖' means cover, so it is a cover on top.

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 頂; 顶 is its simplified writing.

丁頁頂

Meaning part形符xíngfú

頁頁yèhead

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

Same sound today

The traditional form 頂 pairs 頁, meaning head, with 丁, which supplies the sound; the simplified 顶 is a later abbreviation.

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 蓋; 盖 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艸艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

盍

盍hé蓋gài

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

The traditional form 蓋 pairs 艸, grass, with 盍 for sound. It was a thatch, and it took on cover meanings after 盍 was borrowed for “why not”.