拐棍 (guǎi gùn) — walking stick; crutch; prop

Definition

noun

walking stickcrutchprop

Measure word · 根

拐棍。
Zhè wèi lǎo rén yòng guǎi gùn zǒu lù.
This old man walks with a walking stick.
，拐棍。
Tā de tuǐ shòu shāng le, xū yào yì gēn guǎi gùn.
His leg is injured, so he needs a crutch.
拐棍。
Chū mén de shí hou bié wàng le dài guǎi gùn.
Don't forget to bring your walking stick when you go out.

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.

A 拐, a cane-like support, combines with 棍, a stick, to mean a walking stick.

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

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

冎

冎guǎ拐guǎi

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拐 pairs 扌, a hand radical written in full as 手, with 冎, which provides the sound guǎ.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

木昆棍

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

昆

昆kūn棍gùn(r)

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

棍 has 木 (tree) beside 昆, which gives its sound.