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模 (mó) — mold; pattern; form (bound form, used in compounds)

Definition

A bound morpheme meaning 'pattern / model / mold' — it never stands alone and only appears as the first half of compounds like 模范, 模式, 模型 (the second half carries the specific meaning).

bound form
moldpatternform (bound form, used in compounds)

Examples

  • 。
    Tā de xíng wéi shì dà jiā de mó fàn.
    His behavior is an example for everyone.
  • 。
    Wǒ men cǎi yòng le xīn de mó shì.
    We adopted a new model/pattern.
  • 。
    Zhè ge mó xíng fēi cháng jīng què.
    This model is very precise.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
莫
莫mò模mó
Same sound today

The left part 木 is tree; the right part 莫 gives the sound.

Appears in
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