画架 (huà jià) — easel | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

easel

Measure word · 个

画架。
Tā zài huà shì lǐ fàng le yí gè huà jià.
He placed an easel in the studio.
画架，。
Tā tiáo zhěng huà jià de gāo dù, kāi shǐ huà huà.
She adjusted the height of the easel and began painting.
画架，。
Zhè ge huà jià kě yǐ zhé dié, fāng biàn xié dài.
This easel is foldable and easy to carry.

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.

画huàpainting

画 refers to painting, and 架 is a stand; together they name an easel.

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 畫; 画 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

聿聿yùbrush

Sound part声符shēngfú

規

規guī畫huà

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

The traditional form 畫 pairs 聿, a brush, with 規 for its sound. The simplified 画 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the old parts.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

加木架

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree, wood

Sound part声符shēngfú

加

Same sound today

架 shows 木, meaning wood, with 加 giving the sound; it refers to a wooden prop.