护栏 (hù lán) — guardrail; protective barrier

Definition

noun

guardrailprotective barrier

Measure word · 道

护栏。
Gōng lù liǎng biān dōu yǒu hù lán.
There are guardrails on both sides of the highway.
护栏。
Qiáo shàng zhuāng le xīn de hù lán.
New guardrails were installed on the bridge.
护栏。
Yáng tái shàng de hù lán yào dìng qī jiǎn chá.
The guardrails on the balcony need regular inspection.

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.

护hùprotect

“护” (protect) + “栏” (rail) yields a protective rail.

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.

扌户护

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒu

Sound part声符shēngfú

户

Same sound today

护 combines 扌 (the hand form 手) with 户, which gives the sound hù.

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 欄; 栏 is its simplified writing.

木闌欄

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùwood

Sound part声符shēngfú

闌

闌lán欄lán

Same sound today

In the traditional form 欄, 木 (wood) shows the meaning and 闌 supplies the sound; the simplified 栏 is a later shorthand.

Appears in