窗帘 (chuāng lián) — curtain(s) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

窗 means 'window'; 帘 refers to the hanging fabric, so 窗帘 is specifically the window curtain. Use 帘子 for any hanging curtain or door screen.

noun

curtain(s)

Measure word · 块

Examples

窗帘，。
Qǐng bǎ chuāng lián lā kāi, ràng yáng guāng jìn lái.
Please open the curtains and let the sunshine in.
，窗帘。
Tā zài shāng diàn lǐ xuǎn le hěn jiǔ, zhōng yú mǎi dào le xǐ huan de chuāng lián.
She took a long time choosing in the store and finally bought the curtains she liked.
窗帘，。
Zhè jiān fáng jiān de chuāng lián shì shēn lán sè de, kàn qǐ lái hěn ān jìng.
The curtains in this room are dark blue and look very calm.

Origin

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.

窗chuāngwindow

帘liáncurtain

窗 (window) and 帘 (curtain) give the sense of a curtain for a window.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

穴囱窗

穴穴xuéhole
囱囱cōngwindow

窗 combines 穴 (hole) with 囱 (window), giving the sense of an opening used as a window.

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 簾; 帘 is its simplified writing.

竹廉簾

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

廉

廉lián簾lián

Same sound today

The traditional form 簾 pairs 竹 (bamboo) with 廉 for its sound; the simplified 帘 is a later abbreviation.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 5 Home & Housing

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