活页夹 (huó yè gā) — loose-leaf binder

Definition

noun

loose-leaf binder

Measure word · 个

活页夹。
Wǒ yòng huó yè gā zhěng lǐ wén jiàn.
I use a loose-leaf binder to organize documents.
活页夹。
Zhè ge huó yè gā kě yǐ fàng hěn duō zhǐ.
This binder can hold a lot of paper.
活页夹。
Tā de huó yè gā lǐ jiá zhe zhòng yào de zī liào.
His binder contains important materials.

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.

活页loose-leaf

偏正Modifier + head

A 夹 for 活页, loose pages, is a loose-leaf binder.

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

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

𠯑

𠯑𠯑活huó

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

活 is built from 氵 (water) and 𠯑, which shows the sound; 𠯑 later changed into 舌.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 頁; 页 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 頁 drew a head and body of a kneeling person; later 頁 was used to write page. This explanation is about 頁, not the simplified 页.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 夾; 夹 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 夾 draws a person with two people beside or under the arms, giving the idea of holding or sandwiching between sides.