窝 (wō) — (noun) nest; lair; den; pit; (classifier) used for litters and broods; (verb) to stay cooped up; to harbor or shelter
Definition
窝 is a nest or den where animals live, and figuratively the verb 'to stay cooped up'. Compare 巢穴 (lair/hideout, often for criminals); 核 is a fruit pit, not an animal nest.
noun
nestlairdenpit
classifier
used for litters and broods
verb
to stay cooped upto harbor or shelter
Measure word · 个
Examples
- 。Shù shàng de niǎo wō lǐ hái yǒu jǐ gè dàn.There are still a few eggs in the bird's nest in the tree.
- 窝。Zhè yì wō xiǎo tù zi gāng chū shēng yì zhōu.This litter of bunnies was born only a week ago.
- 窝，。Bié lǎo wō zài shā fā shàng, chū qù yùn dòng yí xià.Don't always stay cooped up on the sofa; go out and do some exercise.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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 窩; 窝 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
咼
咼wāi窩wō
Same sound today
The traditional form 窩 uses 穴, a cave, for meaning and 咼 for sound; the simplified 窝 is a later shorthand.
Appears in
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