照着 (zhào zhāo) — (preposition) according to, following (a model, instruction, or pattern); by the light of; by means of (a light source)

Definition

照着 (zhàozhe) marks following a model, pattern, or light source — like English 'following' or 'by the light of'. As a preposition it introduces what you copy or use to see (照着字写, 照着月光走).

preposition
according tofollowing (a model, instruction, or pattern)by the light ofby means of (a light source)

Examples

  • 照着。
    Nǐ zhào zhāo wǒ zuò jiù kě yǐ le.
    You can just follow my lead.
  • 照着。
    Tā zhào zhāo qiáng shàng de huà yòu huà le yì zhāng.
    He painted another copy following the picture on the wall.
  • 照着。
    Wǒ men zhào zhāo yuè guāng zǒu chū le sēn lín.
    We walked out of the forest by moonlight.

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.

照zhàoaccording to
着zheparticle

照 (according to) and 着 together express following a model or pattern.

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
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
昭
昭zhāo照zhào
Same sound today

照 uses 灬, a bottom form of 火 (fire), plus 昭 for the sound.

Open 照 →

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 著; 着 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě著zháo
Same sound today

The traditional form 著 puts 艸 (grass; plant) above 者, which gives the sound; the simplified 着 is a later shorthand.

Open 着 →

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