左臂 (zuǒ bei) — left arm | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

left arm

Measure word · 条

左臂。
Tā de zuǒ bei hěn téng.
His left arm hurts.
左臂。
Qǐng bǎ nǐ de zuǒ bei fàng xià lái.
Please put your left arm down.
左臂。
Tā zuǒ bei shàng dài zhe yì zhī shǒu biǎo.
He is wearing a watch on his left arm.

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.

左 (left) + 臂 (arm): the arm on the left side.

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.

𠂇工左

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

𠂇

𠂇𠂇左zuǒ

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

左 grew from the picture 𠂇, a left hand, with 工 (work) added later.

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

肉肉ròumeat; flesh

Sound part声符shēngfú

辟

Same sound today

臂 includes 肉, meaning meat or flesh, and 辟, which gives the character its sound.

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