壁橱 (bì chú) — closet, cupboard, wardrobe (built-in or freestanding storage unit)

Definition

noun
closetcupboardwardrobe (built-in or freestanding storage unit)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 壁橱。
    Qǐng bǎ yī fu fàng jìn bì chú lǐ.
    Please put the clothes into the closet.
  • 壁橱。
    Wǒ de bì chú lǐ yǒu hěn duō shū.
    There are many books in my closet.
  • 壁橱。
    Zhè ge bì chú shì yòng mù tou zuò de.
    This closet is made of wood.

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.

壁bìwall
橱chúcupboard

壁 is wall, 橱 is cupboard; a wall cupboard is a closet.

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
辟
辟pì壁bì
Same sound today

壁 combines 土 (earth) and 辟, which gives the sound. The whole means an earthen wall.

Open 壁 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 橱 →
Appears in
Furniture

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.