外罩 (wài zhào) — outer covering; protective cover; dust cover; shell; outer garment; overcoat

Definition

A cover or garment that goes OVER something else — either a protective cover (for furniture or machines) or an outer coat worn in cold weather. Distinguished by what it covers rather than by register.

noun
outer coveringprotective coverdust covershellouter garmentovercoat
Measure word · 件

Examples

  • ，外罩。
    Tiān qì lěng le, nǐ chū mén jì de jiā yí jiàn wài zhào.
    It's getting cold; remember to add an outer coat when you go out.
  • 外罩。
    Zhè tái jī qì bú yòng de shí hou yào tào shàng wài zhào fáng huī chén.
    Put a protective cover on this machine when it's not in use to keep off dust.
  • ，外罩。
    Shā fā tào tài zāng le, wǒ xiǎng huàn yí gè xīn wài zhào.
    The sofa cover is too dirty; I want to replace it with a new slipcover.

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.

外wàiouter
罩zhàocover

外 indicates outer, and 罩 is a cover.

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
卜卜bǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
月
月yuè外wài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

外 pairs 卜 with 月, a crescent moon; in its older form, the 卜 part had a horizontal bar extending outward, giving the sense of outside.

Open 外 →

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
罒Written in full as网wǎng
Sound part声符shēngfú
卓
卓zhuó罩zhào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

罩 combines 罒, a form of 网 “net”, with 卓, which gives the sound.

Open 罩 →

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