字数 (zì shǔ) — number of characters, word count (in written text)

Definition

noun
number of charactersword count (in written text)

Examples

  • 字数。
    Zhè piān wén zhāng de zì shǔ chāo guò le liǎng qiān.
    This article's character count exceeds two thousand.
  • 字数。
    Lǎo shī yāo qiú zuò wén zì shǔ zài bā bǎi zì zuǒ yòu.
    The teacher requires the composition's word count to be around eight hundred characters.
  • 字数，。
    Wǒ men dé kòng zhì yí xià zì shǔ, bié xiě tài duō.
    We need to control the word count a bit and not write too much.

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.

字zìcharacter
数shùnumber

字 (characters) and 数 (number) give the count of characters.

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
子
子zǐ字zì
Same sound today

字 pairs 宀 (roof) with 子 (child); 子 gives the sound, while 宀 relates to the meaning.

Open 字 →

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 數; 数 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
婁
婁lóu數shù(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 數 pairs 攴, the meaning part, with 婁, the sound part; the simplified 数 is a shorthand.

Open 数 →

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