书柜 (shū guì) — bookcase | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

bookcase

Measure word · 个

Examples

书柜。
Wǒ jiā kè tīng lǐ yǒu yí gè dà shū guì.
There is a big bookcase in my living room.
书柜。
Zhè ge shū guì néng fàng hěn duō shū.
This bookcase can hold many books.
。
Tā zài bàn gōng shì mǎi le yí gè xīn shū guì.
He bought a new bookcase for his office.

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.

柜guìcabinet

书 names what is kept, and 柜 is the cabinet, so it means a cabinet for 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.

木巨柜

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

巨

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

柜 combines 木 (tree) with 巨, which gives the sound.

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