毛毯 (máo tǎn) — woolen blanket | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

woolen blanket

Measure word · 条

Examples

，毛毯。
Dōng tiān de shí hou, wǒ gài zhe yì tiáo wēn nuǎn de máo tǎn.
In winter, I cover myself with a warm woolen blanket.
毛毯。
Zhè tiáo máo tǎn shì wǒ nǎi nai qīn shǒu zuò de.
This woolen blanket was handmade by my grandmother.
毛毯。
Wǒ cóng shāng diàn mǎi le yì tiáo xīn máo tǎn.
I bought a new woolen blanket from the store.

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.

毯tǎnblanket

“毛” means wool, and “毯” means blanket, so it is a woolen blanket.

Characters in this word

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

毛 is drawn as a feather or hair, with its strokes tracing the shape of the feather or hair.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

毛炎毯

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

炎

炎yán毯tǎn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

毯 pairs 毛, a meaning part, with 炎, a sound part.

Appears in

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