巷口 (xiàng kǒu) — entrance to a lane or alley

Definition

noun
entrance to a lane or alley
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 巷口。
    Tā zài xiàng kǒu děng le wǒ bàn gè xiǎo shí.
    He waited for me at the lane entrance for half an hour.
  • 巷口。
    xiàng kǒu Yǒu yì jiā mài zǎo diǎn de xiǎo diàn.
    There's a small breakfast shop at the lane entrance.
  • 巷口。
    Zǒu dào xiàng kǒu wǎng yòu guǎi jiù dào le.
    When you get to the lane entrance, turn right and you'll be there.

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.

巷xiànglane
口kǒuopening

巷 names the lane and 口 the opening, so it means the lane entrance.

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
己己jǐoneself
Sound part声符shēngfú
共
共gòng巷hàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

巷 is made from 共, read gòng, and 己, meaning 'oneself'.

Open 巷 →

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

The form 口 looks like an open mouth.

Open 口 →

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