弹子房 (dàn zǐ fáng) — billiard room, pool hall

Definition

noun

billiard roompool hall

Measure word · 个

弹子房。
Tā měi gè zhōu mò dōu qù dàn zǐ fáng dǎ tái qiú.
He goes to the billiard room every weekend to play billiards.
弹子房。
dàn zǐ fáng Lǐ yǒu sān zhāng tái qiú zhuō.
There are three billiard tables in the billiard room.
弹子房。
Zhè jiā dàn zǐ fáng kāi zài èr lóu.
This billiard room is on the second floor.

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.

弹子billiard ball

弹tánprojectile子zǐsmall thing

后缀Suffix

弹子 (billiard ball) + 房 (room) names a room for billiard balls.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 彈; 弹 is its simplified writing.

弓單彈

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

單

單dān彈tán

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

The traditional form 彈 pairs 弓 (bow) with the sound part 單; the simplified 弹 is a shorthand.

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.

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

戶戶hùdoor

Sound part声符shēngfú

方

Same sound today

房 pairs 戶 (door) with 方 (fāng) as a sound part; 方 can also fit 'side,' as in a side room beside the main room.