改锥 (gǎi zhuī) — screwdriver | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

screwdriver

Measure word · 把

Examples

改锥。
Wǒ xū yào yì gǎi zhuī lái xiū zhè bǎ yǐ zi.
I need a screwdriver to fix this chair.
改锥，。
Tā ná qǐ gǎi zhuī, bǎ luó sī níng jǐn le.
He picked up the screwdriver and tightened the screw.
改锥？
Nǐ néng bǎ gǎi zhuī dì gěi wǒ ma?
Can you hand me the screwdriver?

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.

A 锥 awl-like tool used for 改, turning screws.

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

攴攴pū

Sound part声符shēngfú

巳

巳sì改gǎi

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

An early form of 改 paired 巳 as a sound part with 攴 as a meaning part; the sound part later changed.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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