口罩 (kǒu zhào) — mask (surgical, protective) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

mask (surgical, protective)

Measure word · 个

Examples

口罩。
Zuò dì tiě de shí hou yí dìng yào dài kǒu zhào.
When taking the subway, you must wear a mask.
口罩。
Xiàn zài chāo shì lǐ gè zhǒng kǒu zhào dōu yǒu mài de.
Now supermarkets sell all kinds of masks.
口罩。
Zhè zhǒng kǒu zhào néng guò lǜ kōng qì zhōng de wēi xiǎo kē lì.
This kind of mask can filter tiny particles in the air.

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.

口 (mouth) and 罩 (cover) form a cover for the mouth.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 口 looks like an open mouth.

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

罒卓罩

Meaning part形符xíngfú

罒Written in full as网wǎng

Sound part声符shēngfú

卓

卓zhuó罩zhào

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

罩 combines 罒, a form of 网 “net”, with 卓, which gives the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Everyday Objects Medicine & Treatment

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