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点子 (diǎn zi) — spot, dot, speck, droplet (of liquid); idea, suggestion, point (of an argument or plan)

Definition

点子 has two unrelated senses: a small mark or drop of liquid (like 斑点 'spot/stain'), or an idea/suggestion. The second sense is colloquial, like 主意 — not the abstract 指标 ('indicator') or 迹象 ('sign').

noun
spotdotspeckdroplet (of liquid)ideasuggestionpoint (of an argument or plan)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 点子，。
    Bái chèn shān shàng yǒu gè mò diǎn zi, zěn me xǐ dōu xǐ bú diào.
    There's an ink spot on the white shirt, and no matter how I wash it it won't come out.
  • ，点子。
    Zhè ge chǎn pǐn néng chéng gōng, quán kào tā chū de hǎo diǎn zi.
    This product's success is all thanks to the great ideas he came up with.
  • 点子，。
    Nǐ shuō huà de diǎn zi hěn zhǔn, yí xià jiù zhǐ chū le wèn tí de guān jiàn.
    The point you made is spot‑on; you immediately identified the crux of the problem.

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.

点diǎnpoint; dot
子zǐsuffix

“点” gives the sense of a dot or point, and “子” completes the everyday word for such a thing.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →

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 7-9Abstract Concepts5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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