棒冰 (bàng bīng) — popsicle, ice lolly (regional, chiefly eastern China)

Definition

A regional name for a popsicle / ice lolly, mainly used in eastern China (e.g. Shanghai). Speakers elsewhere typically say 冰棍 instead.

noun
popsicleice lolly (regional, chiefly eastern China)
Measure word · 根

Examples

  • ，棒冰。
    Xià tiān dào le, wǒ xiǎng mǎi yì gēn bàng bīng.
    Summer has arrived; I want to buy a popsicle.
  • 棒冰。
    Tā xiǎo shí hou zuì xǐ huan chī jú zi wèi de bàng bīng.
    When he was little, he loved eating orange-flavored popsicles the most.
  • 棒冰，。
    Wǒ de shàng hǎi péng you guǎn bīng gùn jiào bàng bīng, ér běi jīng rén shuō bīng gùn.
    My Shanghai friend calls ice lollies 棒冰, while Beijing people say 冰棍.

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.

棒bàngstick
冰bīngice

棒 as stick plus 冰 as ice names a frozen treat on a stick.

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, wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
奉
奉fèng棒bàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

棒 combines 木 (wood) with 奉, which gives the sound, to write a wooden club.

Open 棒 →

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
水水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
冫
仌bīng冰bīng
Same sound today

冰 adds 水 (water) to 冫, the short form of 仌; 冫 gives the sound, and 水 shows the meaning.

Open 冰 →

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