回形针 (huí xíng zhēn) — paperclip | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

paperclip

Measure word · 枚

Examples

回形针。
Wǒ mǎi le shí gè huí xíng zhēn.
I bought ten paperclips.
回形针。
Qǐng bǎ wén jiàn yòng huí xíng zhēn jiá hǎo.
Please clip the documents together with a paperclip.
回形针。
Zhè zhǒng huí xíng zhēn hěn róng yì shēng xiù.
This type of paperclip rusts easily.

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.

回形looped shape

回huíreturn形xíngshape

偏正Modifier + head

回 (return) + 形 (shape) + 针 (pin): a pin bent into a looping shape.

Characters in this word

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

回 comes from a drawing of a spiral, showing something turning around.

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

彡彡shān

Sound part声符shēngfú

井

井jǐng形xíng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

形 is made from 彡 and 井, with 井 providing the sound.

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 針; 针 is its simplified writing.

釒十針

Meaning part形符xíngfú

釒Written in full as金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

十

十shí針zhēn

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

The traditional form 針 puts 釒, the metal side, beside 十, which gives the sound; 针 is a simplified shorthand.

Appears in

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