牛仔服 (niú zǎi fú) — jeans (as a category of clothing, i.e. denim we…

Definition

noun

jeans (as a category of clothing, i.e. denim wear)

Measure word · 件

牛仔服。
Tā zuì xǐ huan chuān niú zǎi fú.
He likes wearing jeans the most.
牛仔服。
Zhè jiā diàn mài gè zhǒng niú zǎi fú.
This store sells all kinds of denim wear.
牛仔服。
Nǐ chuān niú zǎi fú hěn shuài.
You look handsome in jeans.

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.

牛仔cowboy

偏正Modifier + head

服fúclothes

牛仔服 pairs 牛仔 and 服 to mean cowboy or denim clothing.

Characters in this word

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

牛 is drawn as a bull's head, with two horns and two ears.

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

人人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

子

子zǐ仔zǎi

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

仔 puts 人 (person) next to 子, which gives the sound.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

𠬝

𠬝𠬝服fú

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

In 服, the part 𠬝 was the original picture for 'to subdue'; the added left part 凡, a tray, later changed shape.