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按钮 (àn niǔ) — button (a press-able control)

Definition

A general-purpose 'button' — a pressable control on a machine, device, or interface. Use 键 for keys (keyboard/piano); 纽扣 for a button on clothing.

noun
button (a press-able control)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 按钮，。
    Àn xià zhè ge àn niǔ, jī qì jiù huì qǐ dòng.
    Press this button and the machine will start.
  • 按钮。
    Ruǎn jiàn jiè miàn shàng de àn niǔ yào yòng shǔ biāo diǎn jī.
    The button on the software interface needs to be clicked with the mouse.
  • 按钮。
    Yáo kòng qì shàng de hóng sè àn niǔ shì diàn yuán kāi guān.
    The red button on the remote control is the power switch.

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.

按ànpress
钮niǔbutton or knob

按 means press and 钮 means button or knob, together meaning a button that is pressed.

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shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
安
安ān按àn
Same sound today

按 has 扌, the hand radical, and 安. The hand part points to an action done with the hand, while 安 supplies the sound and the idea of being at ease, linked to pressing down.

Open 按 →

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 鈕; 钮 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
丑
丑chǒu鈕niǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鈕 pairs 金 (metal) with 丑, which gives the sound; the simplified 钮 is a later shorthand.

Open 钮 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Miscellaneous Objects5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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