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嘴边 (zuǐ biān) — the corner of the mouth; the area around the mouth

Definition

noun
the corner of the mouththe area around the mouth

Examples

  • 嘴边。
    Tā zuǐ biān zhān le yì diǎn nǎi yóu.
    He had a bit of cream on the corner of his mouth.
  • 嘴边。
    Tā shuō huà shí zuǐ biān zǒng shì dài zhe wēi xiào.
    She always has a smile on her lips when she speaks.
  • 嘴边。
    Hái zi zuǐ biān hái liú zhe fàn lì ne.
    The child still has grains of rice around his mouth.

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.

嘴zuǐmouth
边biānedge

嘴 names the mouth, and 边 marks the edge or area around it.

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
觜
觜zī嘴
Same sound today

嘴 pairs 口 (mouth) with 觜, which supplies its sound.

Open 嘴 →

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 邊; 边 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalking; movement
Sound part声符shēngfú
臱
臱mián邊biān(r)
Same sound today

The traditional form 邊 pairs 辶 (walking; movement) with the sound part 臱; the simplified 边 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 边 →
Appears in
Body Parts

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