吐丝 (tǔ sī) — to spin silk (of silkworms or other insects)

Definition

A verb used only of silkworms or other insects extruding silk thread. Not used for people or machines producing silk fabric.

verb

to spin silk (of silkworms or other insects)

Easily confused

吐丝。
Cán bǎo bao kāi shǐ tǔ sī le.
The silkworms are starting to spin silk.
。
Zhè xiē cán yǐ jīng tǔ guò yí cì sī le.
These silkworms have already spun silk once.
，吐丝。
Chūn tiān dào le, cán máng zhe tǔ sī.
Spring has come, and the silkworms are busy spinning silk.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

吐tǔspit out

吐 (spit out) produces 丝 (silk), as in a silkworm spinning silk.

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.

口土吐

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

土

Same sound today

吐 pairs 口, the mouth, with 土, which gives the sound.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 絲; 丝 is its simplified writing.

糸糸絲

In the traditional form 絲, the shape is two 糸 written together; this is about 絲, not the simplified 丝.