条幅 (tiáo fú) — vertically hung scroll (of calligraphy or painting)

Definition

A long, narrow vertical strip of cloth or paper, usually inscribed with calligraphy and hung on a wall — longer and more banner-like than a typical hand scroll.

noun
vertically hung scroll (of calligraphy or painting)
Measure word · 幅

Examples

  • 条幅。
    Tā zài qiáng shàng guà le yì fú tiáo fú.
    He hung a vertically hung scroll on the wall.
  • 条幅。
    Zhè fú tiáo fú shì tā qù nián xiě de.
    This scroll was written by him last year.
  • 条幅。
    Zhǎn lǎn huì shàng guà mǎn le gè zhǒng tiáo fú.
    The exhibition hall was full of various scrolls.

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.

条tiáostrip
幅fúscroll

A 幅 (scroll) shaped like a 条 (long strip).

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 條; 条 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
攸
攸yōu條tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 條 pairs 木, a small branch or stick, with 攸, which shows a person warned by a hand holding a stick, as a sound part; 条 is a later shortened shape.

Open 条 →

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
巾巾jīnclothing
Sound part声符shēngfú
畐
畐fú幅⁰fú
Same sound today

幅 is built from 巾, a component related to cloth or clothing, and 畐, which gives its sound.

Open 幅 →

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