土豆片 (tǔ dòu piān) — potato chips (snack); sliced potatoes (for cooking)

Definition

Literally 'potato slices': in everyday use, 土豆片 usually means potato chips (the snack, sold in bags); the 'sliced potatoes for cooking' sense is a literal use you'll see mainly in recipes or step-by-step instructions.

noun
potato chips (snack)sliced potatoes (for cooking)
Measure word · 包

Examples

  • 土豆片。
    Wǒ mǎi le yí dài tǔ dòu piān.
    I bought a bag of potato chips.
  • 土豆片。
    Mā ma bǎ tǔ dòu piān fàng zài guō lǐ chǎo.
    Mom put the potato slices in the pan to stir-fry.
  • 土豆片。
    Zhè zhǒng tǔ dòu piān hěn hǎo chī.
    This kind of potato chips is delicious.

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.

土豆potato
土tǔearth豆dòubean
偏正Modifier + head
片piànslice

土豆 names the potato and 片 names a slice, giving potato slices or chips.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 土 →

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

豆 originally drew some kind of container. It was borrowed for its sound to write the plant name, so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.

Open 豆 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 片 →

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