布拉 (bù lā) — (colloquial) to scoop, to shovel

Definition

verb

(colloquial) to scoopto shovel

布拉。
Tā yòng sháo zi bǎ tāng bù lā dào wǎn lǐ.
He scooped the soup into the bowl with a ladle.
布拉。
Nǐ bǎ dì shàng de lā jī bù lā gān jìng.
Shovel the garbage off the floor until it's clean.
布拉。
Mā ma zài chú fáng lǐ bù lā mǐ zuò fàn.
Mom is scooping rice in the kitchen to cook.

Single-morpheme word

构词法gòucífǎ

联绵liánmiánBound pair

Two characters that only ever appear together, spelling one ancient two-syllable word.

The characters carry no meaning of their own here; 布拉 is a colloquial word for scooping or shoveling.

Sound-only characters

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

巾巾jīnkerchief

Sound part声符shēngfú

父

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

布 pairs 巾, a kerchief, with 父 as a sound part.

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

立

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

拉 pairs 手 (hand) with 立, a component that supplies the sound.