客货 (kè huò) — passenger and cargo (transportation); (attributive) mixed passenger-and-cargo

Definition

A compound used almost only as an attributive modifier before transport terms (运输, 码头, 车辆), meaning 'handling both passengers and cargo'. Rarely used as a standalone noun.

noun
passenger and cargo (transportation)(attributive) mixed passenger-and-cargo

Examples

  • 客货。
    Zhè tiáo tiě lù zhǔ yào chéng dān kè huò yùn shū rèn wu.
    This railway mainly undertakes passenger and cargo transport tasks.
  • 客货。
    Gōng sī xīn mǎi le yí liàng kè huò liǎng yòng chē.
    The company bought a new passenger-cargo dual-purpose vehicle.
  • 客货，。
    kè huò Mǎ tou zhèng zài kuò jiàn, yǐ yìng duì rì yì zēng zhǎng de xū qiú.
    The passenger-cargo terminal is being expanded to cope with growing demand.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

客kèpassenger
货huòcargo

客 means passenger and 货 means cargo, covering both kinds of transport.

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
各
各gè客kè
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 客, 宀 is a roof and 各 gives the sound; the character meant a guest.

Open 客 →

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 貨; 货 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell, money
Sound part声符shēngfú
化
化huà貨huò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 貨 pairs 化 (sound) with 貝 (shell, money) to write valuable goods; the simplified 货 is a shorthand.

Open 货 →

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