窖藏 (jiào cáng) — to store in a cellar or pit (for aging or prese…

Definition

A specialized verb for storing goods (wine, vegetables, herbs) in an underground cellar or pit to age or preserve them over months or years.

verb

to store in a cellar or pit (for aging or preservation)

。
Zhè jiā jiǔ chǎng jiāng hóng jiǔ jiào cáng le wǔ nián.
This winery stored the red wine in a cellar for five years.
窖藏。
Běi fāng rén xǐ huan jiào cáng bái cài guò dōng.
Northerners like to store cabbage in pits for the winter.
窖藏。
Zhè xiē yào cái xū yào jiào cáng sān nián cái néng shǐ yòng.
These medicinal herbs need to be stored in a cellar for three years before use.

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.

窖 gives the cellar or pit, and 藏 gives storing.

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.

穴告窖

Meaning part形符xíngfú

穴穴xuéhole; cave

Sound part声符shēngfú

告

告gào窖jiào

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

窖 has 穴, a hole or cave, and 告, 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

艸艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

臧

臧zāng藏cáng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

藏 is made from 艸 (grass) and 臧, where 臧 gives the sound.