厕 (cè) — (bound morpheme) toilet; latrine (only used in compounds)
Definition
厕 is a bound morpheme meaning 'toilet' — it never stands alone and only appears in compounds like 厕所 'restroom' or 厕纸 'toilet paper'.
bound form
(bound morpheme) toiletlatrine (only used in compounds)
Examples
- 。Gōng gòng cè suǒ lǐ hěn gān jìng.The public toilet is very clean.
- 厕。Qǐng gěi wǒ yì xiē cè zhǐ.Please give me some toilet paper.
- 。Zhè ge gōng yuán yǒu liǎng gè gōng cè.This park has two public toilets.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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 廁; 厕 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
則
則zé廁cè
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 廁 is made from 广 and 則; 則 gives the sound, and 广 relates to the meaning. The simplified 厕 is a later shorthand.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.