拇 (mǔ) — thumb; big toe (used as a bound morpheme in compounds)
Definition
拇 is a bound form meaning 'thumb' or 'big toe', almost always seen in the compounds 大拇指 (thumb) and 拇趾 (big toe). It never stands alone.
bound form
thumbbig toe (used as a bound morpheme in compounds)
Examples
- 。Tā de dà mǔ zhǐ shòu shāng le.Her thumb was injured.
- 。Rén de dà mǔ zhǐ zuì yǒu lì.The thumb is the strongest finger.
- 拇。Wǒ de mǔ zhǐ tī dào shí tou le.My big toe hit a stone.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
拇 has 扌, the hand form written fully as 手, and 母, which gives the sound.
Appears in
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