挂锁 (guà suǒ) — padlock

Definition

noun
padlock
Measure word · 把

Examples

  • 挂锁。
    Tā yòng guà suǒ suǒ shàng le mén.
    He locked the door with a padlock.
  • 挂锁。
    Zhè bǎ guà suǒ de yào shi zhǎo bú dào le.
    The key to this padlock can't be found.
  • 挂锁。
    Shāng diàn mén kǒu huàn le yì bǎ xīn guà suǒ.
    The store replaced its lock with a new padlock at the entrance.

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.

挂guàhang
锁suǒlock

'挂' hang and '锁' lock describe a lock that hangs in place.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 掛; 挂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺘Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
卦
卦guà掛guà
Same sound today

In the traditional form 掛, the hand part ⺘ and the sound part 卦 show hooking or hanging something with the hand; this form was originally a popular form of 挂.

Open 挂 →

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 鎖; 锁 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
𧴪
𧴪𧴪鎖suǒ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鎖 pairs 金 (metal) with a sound component, 𧴪; the simplified 锁 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the original parts.

Open 锁 →

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