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左轮手枪 (zuǒ lún shǒu qiāng) — revolver (handgun with a revolving cylinder)

Definition

noun
revolver (handgun with a revolving cylinder)
Measure word · 把

Examples

  • 左轮手枪。
    Tā shǒu lǐ ná zhe yì bǎ zuǒ lún shǒu qiāng.
    He is holding a revolver in his hand.
  • 左轮手枪。
    Zhè bǎ zuǒ lún shǒu qiāng shì yé ye liú xià de lǎo wù jiàn.
    This revolver is an old item left by grandpa.
  • 左轮手枪。
    Diàn yǐng lǐ de jǐng chá yòng zuǒ lún shǒu qiāng shè jī.
    The policeman in the movie shoots with a revolver.

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.

左轮left-turning cylinder
左zuǒleft轮lúnwheel
偏正Modifier + head
手枪hand gun
手shǒuhand枪qiānggun
偏正Modifier + head

A 手枪 hand gun with a 左轮 left-turning cylinder.

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
工工gōngwork
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.

Open 左 →

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 輪; 轮 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
侖
侖lún輪lún
Same sound today

The traditional form 輪 uses 車, a carriage, and 侖 for the sound; the simplified 轮 is a later shorthand.

Open 轮 →

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

手 draws a five-fingered human hand: the top line is a bent middle finger, and the horizontal lines show the other four fingers.

Open 手 →

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 槍; 枪 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
倉
倉cāng槍qiāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 槍 pairs 木 (wood) with 倉 as a sound part; the simplified 枪 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical component.

Open 枪 →
Appears in
Military & Defense

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