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扣子 (kòu zi) — button (on clothing); knot (in a string or rope); bottleneck; obstacle; critical point that holds up progress

Definition

扣子 has two physical senses — a button (on clothing) and a knot tied in rope or string — and one figurative sense for a bottleneck or obstacle holding up progress.

noun
button (on clothing)knot (in a string or rope)bottleneckobstaclecritical point that holds up progress
Measure word · 颗

Examples

  • 扣子，。
    Zhè jiàn yī fu quē le yì kē kòu zi, yào fèng yí gè.
    This shirt is missing a button; I need to sew one on.
  • 扣子，。
    Tā shú liàn de dǎ le yí gè kòu zi, jì jǐn le shéng zi.
    She skillfully tied a knot and tightened the rope.
  • 扣子。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù de kòu zi zài yú zī jīn bù zú.
    The bottleneck of this project is insufficient funds.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

扣kòubutton/knot
子zǐending

The everyday word comes from 扣 'button/knot' plus 子, which finishes the form.

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
手手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
口
口kǒu扣kòu
Same sound today

扣 puts 手 (hand) beside 口 (mouth); 口 gives the sound, while 手 shows it is about a hand action.

Open 扣 →

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.

Open 子 →
Appears in
Clothing

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