TongTong
Sign in

驴子 (lǘ zi) — donkey, ass

Definition

noun
donkeyass
Measure word · 头

Examples

  • 驴子。
    Wǒ zài xiāng xia kàn jiàn yì tóu lǘ zi.
    I saw a donkey in the countryside.
  • 驴子，。
    lǘ zi De jiào shēng hěn dà, hěn tè bié.
    A donkey's bray is loud and very distinctive.
  • 驴子，。
    Zhè tóu lǘ zi hěn qín láo, měi tiān dōu bāng zhǔ rén gàn huó.
    This donkey is very hardworking and helps its owner with work every day.

Origin

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.

驴lǘdonkey
子zǐsuffix

驴 gives the animal sense, while 子 completes the familiar form.

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 驢; 驴 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎhorse
Sound part声符shēngfú
盧
盧lú驢lǘ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 驢 uses 馬 (horse) to show the meaning and 盧 to give the sound; the simplified 驴 is a later abbreviation, so its parts are not original.

Open 驴 →

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.

Open 子 →
Appears in
Animals & Mammals

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.