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石子 (shí zǐ) — pebble; small stone

Definition

Note: 石子 is read dàn here, a dialectal/literary word for pebble. In standard modern Mandarin the common reading is shízǐ, meaning 'small stone / pebble'.

noun
pebblesmall stone
Measure word · 颗

Examples

  • 石子。
    Tā zài hé biān jiǎn le yí kuài shí zǐ.
    He picked up a pebble by the river.
  • 石子。
    Xiǎo lù shang pū mǎn le shí zǐ.
    The path is covered with small stones.
  • 石子。
    Hái zi men xǐ huan yòng shí zǐ dā jī mù.
    Children like to build things with pebbles.

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.

石shístone
子zǐsmall thing

石 gives the idea of stone, and 子 marks a small thing, so 石子 is a pebble.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 石 shows a stone under a cliff-like overhang, or a cave set into a cliff side.

Open 石 →

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
Materials & Substances

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