书架 (shū jià) — bookshelf | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

bookshelf

Measure word · 个

Examples

书架。
Wǒ zài fáng jiān lǐ fàng le yí gè shū jià.
I put a bookshelf in the room.
书架，。
Zhè ge shū jià shì qù nián mǎi de, hěn jiē shi.
This bookshelf was bought last year and is very sturdy.
书架。
Tā bǎ shū cóng shū jià shàng ná xià lái.
He took the books down from the bookshelf.

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.

架jiàshelf/rack

书 denotes books, and 架 denotes a shelf or rack, giving a shelf for holding books.

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 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

聿聿yùwriting brush

Sound part声符shēngfú

者

者zhě書shū

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

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

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

加木架

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree, wood

Sound part声符shēngfú

加

加jiā架jià

Same sound today

架 shows 木, meaning wood, with 加 giving the sound; it refers to a wooden prop.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 5 HSK 2.0 Level 5 Furniture

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