杠铃 (gàng líng) — barbell

Definition

noun
barbell
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 杠铃。
    Tā měi tiān yòng gàng líng duàn liàn shēn tǐ.
    He exercises with a barbell every day.
  • 杠铃。
    Zhè ge gàng líng yǒu èr shí gōng jīn zhòng.
    This barbell weighs twenty kilograms.
  • 杠铃。
    Jiào liàn jiào wǒ zěn me jǔ gàng líng.
    The coach taught me how to lift a barbell.

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.

杠gàngbar
铃língbell

“杠” names the bar and “铃” names the bell-like weights, together naming the barbell.

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
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng杠gàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

杠 has 木 (tree) on the left and 工 on the right. The 木 part is about wood, and 工 gives the sound.

Open 杠 →

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 鈴; 铃 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng鈴líng
Same sound today

The traditional form 鈴 pairs 金 (metal) with 令 as a sound part; the simplified 铃 is a later abbreviation, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 铃 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.