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桌边 (zhuō biān) — the edge of a table; beside the table

Definition

noun
the edge of a tablebeside the table

Examples

  • 桌边。
    Tā bǎ shū fàng zài zhuō biān shàng.
    He put the book on the edge of the table.
  • 桌边。
    zhuō biān Fàng zhe yì bēi chá.
    There is a cup of tea beside the table.
  • 桌边，。
    Hái zi zhàn zài zhuō biān, děng zhe chī fàn.
    The child stood by the table, waiting to eat.

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

桌 has 卓 on top, giving the sound and a sense of high, and 木 below, wood; the bottom of 卓 has merged into 木.

Open 桌 →

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 邊; 边 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalking; movement
Sound part声符shēngfú
臱
臱mián邊biān(r)
Same sound today

The traditional form 邊 pairs 辶 (walking; movement) with the sound part 臱; the simplified 边 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 边 →
Appears in
Furniture

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