板斧 (bǎn fǔ) — broadax; broadaxe

Definition

noun
broadaxbroadaxe
Measure word · 把

Examples

  • 板斧。
    Tā shǒu lǐ ná zhe yì bǎ fēng lì de bǎn fǔ.
    He is holding a sharp broadax in his hand.
  • ,板斧。
    Zài gǔ dài, bǎn fǔ shì zuò zhàn shí cháng yòng de bīng qì.
    In ancient times, the broadax was a common weapon in battle.
  • 板斧。
    Lǎo mù jiàng yòng bǎn fǔ pī kāi le nà kuài dà mù tou.
    The old carpenter split that big piece of wood with a broadax.

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.

板bǎnboard

板 suggests a broad plank-like blade and 斧 is axe, so it is a broad axe.

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
反
反fǎn板bǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

板 pairs 木 (tree) with 反 as a sound part.

Open 板 →

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
斤斤jīnaxe
Sound part声符shēngfú
父
父fù斧fǔ
Same sound today

斧 combines 斤, an axe, with 父, which gives the sound.

Open 斧 →

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