寿衣 (shòu yī) — shroud; burial clothes (often prepared in advance by the elderly)

Definition

Traditional burial clothes, typically purchased in advance by the elderly themselves as part of the custom of preparing for one's own death. The two-character term is the standard fixed word for this garment.

noun
shroudburial clothes (often prepared in advance by the elderly)
Measure word · 件
Easily confused

Examples

  • 寿衣。
    Nǎi nai yǐ jīng wèi zì jǐ zhǔn bèi hǎo le shòu yī.
    Grandma has already prepared her burial clothes for herself.
  • 寿衣。
    Zhè xiē shòu yī shì yòng zuì hǎo de sī chóu zuò de.
    These burial clothes are made of the best silk.
  • ，寿衣。
    Zài chuán tǒng xí sú zhōng, lǎo rén huì tí qián mǎi hǎo shòu yī.
    In traditional custom, elderly people buy their burial clothes in advance.

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.

寿shòulife
衣yīclothes

寿 relates to a person's life or final years, and 衣 are clothes; the word names burial garments.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 壽; 寿 is its simplified writing.

  • 耂耂lǎoold
  • 𢏚𢏚𢏚

The traditional form 壽 uses 耂 for old and a sound part 𢏚, plus added decorative marks; the simplified 寿 is a later shorthand.

Open 寿 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 衣 comes from an outline of the chest and upper clothing.

Open 衣 →

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