孩 (hái) — (bound form) child; used in compound nouns
Definition
孩 is a bound form meaning 'child', always paired with 子 or another suffix (孩子, 小孩). It never stands alone in modern Chinese.
bound form
childused in compound nouns
Easily confused
- 核hélook-alikepit, stone (of fruit)
- 还háisound-alikestill, yet (indicating continuation or that something hasn't happened)
- 该gāilook-alike(modal verb) should, ought to; used to indicate strong necessity or likelihood
- 骸háisound-alike(bound form) bones of the body; skeleton
- 咳kélook-aliketo cough
- 骇hàilook-alikeastonished; shocked (bound form, used in compounds)
Examples
- 。Zhè ge hái zi hěn cōng ming.This child is very smart.
- 。Nán hái tōng cháng bǐ jiào huó pō.Boys are usually more active.
- 。Xiǎo hái bù néng yí gè rén guò mǎ lù.Kids can't cross the street alone.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
In 孩, the left part 子 shows a child, while the right part 亥 supplies the sound.
Appears in
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