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扫把 (sào ba) — broom

Definition

noun
broom
Measure word · 把

Examples

  • 扫把。
    Wǒ yòng sào ba sǎo dì.
    I use a broom to sweep the floor.
  • 扫把。
    Qǐng bǎ sào ba fàng zài mén hòu miàn.
    Please put the broom behind the door.
  • 扫把。
    Zhè bǎ sào ba shì wǒ xīn mǎi de.
    This broom is one I just bought.

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.

扫sǎosweep
把bǎhandle

扫, meaning sweep, combines with 把, meaning handle, to name a broom.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 掃; 扫 is its simplified writing.

The form 掃 draws a hand with a broomstick, the thing used for sweeping.

Open 扫 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
巴
巴bā把bǎ
Same sound today

把 combines 扌, a hand, with 巴 for its sound.

Open 把 →
Appears in
Cleaning & Chores

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