劈柴 (pǐ chái) — kindling; split firewood ready for burning

Definition

Both the verb ('to chop firewood') and the noun ('split firewood / kindling'). 柴 is the general word for firewood; 劈 adds the idea of having been split into pieces for burning.

noun
kindlingsplit firewood ready for burning
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 劈柴。
    Tā bào le yì duī pǐ chái zǒu jìn chú fáng.
    He carried a pile of kindling into the kitchen.
  • 劈柴，。
    Zhè xiē pǐ chái tài shī le, diǎn bù zháo huǒ.
    This kindling is too wet to catch fire.
  • 劈柴。
    Lú zi páng biān fàng zhe yì kǔn pǐ chái.
    A bundle of firewood is placed next to the stove.

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.

劈pīsplit
柴cháifirewood

劈 (split) describes the 柴 (firewood), meaning firewood already split.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刀刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
辟
辟pì劈pī
Same sound today

劈 combines 辟, which gives the sound pì, with 刀, a knife, for cutting or splitting.

Open 劈 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
此
此cǐ柴chái
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 柴, the lower part 木 shows it is about wood, while the upper part 此 supplies the sound.

Open 柴 →

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