甲壳 (jiǎ qiào) — shell (of crustaceans)

Definition

noun

shell (of crustaceans)

甲壳。
Páng xiè de jiǎ qiào hěn yìng.
The crab's shell is very hard.
甲壳。
Zhè zhǒng jiǎ qiào kě yǐ yòng lái zuò gōng yì pǐn.
This kind of shell can be used to make crafts.
甲壳。
Kē xué jiā zài yán jiū jiǎ qiào de jié gòu.
Scientists are studying the structure of the shell.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

甲 and 壳 both refer to a hard covering, together naming a crustacean shell.

Characters in this word

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

甲 is drawn as a hard protective shell, carapace, or scales of an animal, or as armor made of connected plates.

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 殼; 壳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

㱿

㱿㱿殼ké(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 殼 is built from 几 (the meaning part) and 㱿 (the sound part); the simplified 壳 is a later shorthand.

Appears in