餐巾纸 (cān jīn zhǐ) — paper napkin, serviette | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

paper napkinserviette

Measure word · 张

Examples

餐巾纸。
Qǐng gěi wǒ yì zhāng cān jīn zhǐ.
Please give me a napkin.
餐巾纸。
Zhuō zi shàng yǒu cān jīn zhǐ hé kuài zi.
There are napkins and chopsticks on the table.
，。
Chī wán wǎn fàn hòu, yòng cān jīn zhǐ cā cā zuǐ.
After dinner, use a napkin to wipe your mouth.

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.

餐巾napkin

餐cānmeal巾jīncloth

偏正Modifier + head

餐巾 (napkin) + 纸 (paper) makes a paper version of a dining cloth.

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.

𣦼食餐

Meaning part形符xíngfú

食食shíto eat; meal; food

Sound part声符shēngfú

𣦼

𣦼𣦼餐cān

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

餐 combines 食, meaning food or eating, with 𣦼 as the sound part; it originally meant “to swallow.”

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

The form 巾 is a picture of a piece of cloth hanging down.

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 紙; 纸 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìsilk

Sound part声符shēngfú

氏

氏shì紙zhǐ

Same sound today

For 纸, the traditional form 紙 combines 糸 (silk) with 氏 (the sound part).

Appears in

Kitchenware & Tableware

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