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弹痕 (dàn hén) — bullet hole; gunshot mark; scar left by a bullet or shrapnel

Definition

A physical mark left where a bullet or shrapnel has struck a surface — concrete, countable, and tied to firearms or explosions rather than to a person. Distinct from 伤口 (a wound on a body) or 弹孔 (the hole itself).

noun
bullet holegunshot markscar left by a bullet or shrapnel
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 弹痕。
    Qiáng shàng yǒu jǐ gè míng xiǎn de dàn hén.
    There are several obvious bullet holes on the wall.
  • 弹痕。
    Jǐng fāng zài fàn zuì xiàn chǎng fā xiàn le dàn hén.
    The police found gunshot marks at the crime scene.
  • 弹痕。
    Zhè zuò lǎo jiàn zhù de qiáng bì shàng bù mǎn le dàn hén.
    The walls of this old building are covered with bullet scars.

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.

弹tánbullet
痕hénmark

弹 “bullet” describes the 痕 “mark” left by it.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōng
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.

Open 弹 →

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
疒疒nè
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn痕hén
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

痕 pairs 疒 with 艮: 疒 gives the sense, and 艮 gives the sound.

Open 痕 →
Appears in
Military & Defense

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