梯子 (tī zi) — ladder

Definition

A portable ladder — a movable structure you lean against a wall or climb. Unlike 阶梯 (a fixed flight of steps) and 滑梯 (a playground slide for sliding down), 梯子 is a standalone climbing tool.

noun
ladder
Measure word · 把
Easily confused

Examples

  • 梯子，。
    Tā bǎ tī zi kào zài qiáng shàng, rán hòu pá le shàng qù.
    He leaned the ladder against the wall and then climbed up.
  • 梯子，。
    Zhè bǎ tī zi tài duǎn le, gòu bú dào wū dǐng.
    This ladder is too short to reach the roof.
  • 梯子？
    Nǐ néng bāng wǒ bān yí xià tī zi ma?
    Can you help me move the ladder?

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

梯tīladder
子zǐsuffix

梯 gives the ladder meaning, while 子 simply completes the familiar two-syllable word.

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mùwood, tree
Sound part声符shēngfú
弟
弟dì梯tī
Same sound today

梯 puts 木 (wood/tree) beside 弟, which gives the sound, to write a wooden ladder.

Open 梯 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Miscellaneous Objects

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