局子 (jú zǐ) — checker-game piece | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

An informal, spoken word for a piece in a board game (chess, checkers, etc.). For written or formal contexts, prefer 棋子.

noun

checker-game piece

Measure word · 个

局子。
Tā zài qí pán shàng fàng le yí gè jú zǐ.
He placed a game piece on the board.
局子。
Zhè ge jú zǐ shì hēi sè de.
This game piece is black.
局子。
Wǒ bǎ jú zǐ yí dào qián miàn.
I moved the game piece forward.

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.

局 'game' and 子 'piece' combine to name a small piece used in a game.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

句

Same sound today

The shape of 局 pairs 尸, a meaning part, with 句, a sound part.

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Appears in