小路 (xiǎo lù) — path; trail | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

pathtrail

Measure word · 条

Examples

小路。
Zhè tiáo xiǎo lù tōng wǎng shān dǐng.
This path leads to the mountaintop.
小路，。
Wǒ men zǒu xiǎo lù, néng kuài yì diǎn.
We take the small path, it can be a bit faster.
小路，。
Zhè tiáo xiǎo lù hěn ān jìng, wǒ xǐ huan zài zhè lǐ sàn bù.
This path is very quiet, I like to walk here.

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.

小 gives small and 路 gives road, so the word means a small road or path.

Characters in this word

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

八八bāto divide; to separate
丨丨gǔnsmall object

The shape of 小 comes from three small dots, later elongated into its strokes; the apparent parts 八 and 丨 are a later way of seeing it.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

各

各gè路lù

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

路 combines 足, a foot, with 各, which supplies the sound.

Appears in

Roads & Traffic

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