弹片 (dàn piàn) — shrapnel, shell fragment

Definition

noun

shrapnelshell fragment

Measure word · 块

弹片。
Zhàn chǎng shàng dào chù dōu shì dàn piàn.
The battlefield was covered in shrapnel.
弹片。
Tā bèi dàn piàn jī zhòng le shǒu bì.
He was hit in the arm by a shell fragment.
弹片。
Yī shēng cóng tā tuǐ shàng qǔ chū le jǐ kuài dàn piàn.
The doctor removed several pieces of shrapnel from his leg.

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tánshell/bullet

片piànpiece/fragment

弹 refers to a shell or bullet and 片 to a fragment, together meaning a piece from an explosive projectile.

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.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in