竹杠 (zhú gāng) — bamboo carrying pole

Definition

Literally a bamboo carrying pole, but used almost entirely in the set phrase 敲竹杠 — 'to overcharge / fleece someone'. In tourist areas 敲游客的竹杠 is a common complaint.

noun
bamboo carrying pole
Measure word · 根

Examples

  • 竹杠。
    Tā yòng zhú gāng tiāo zhe liǎng tǒng shuǐ.
    He carries two buckets of water with a bamboo pole.
  • ，竹杠。
    Zài lǚ yóu qū, yóu kè róng yì bèi zhú gāng.
    In tourist areas, visitors are easily cheated.
  • 竹杠。
    Zhè jiā diàn jīng cháng qiāo gù kè de zhú gāng.
    This store often overcharges its customers.

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.

竹zhúbamboo
杠gàngpole

“竹” means bamboo and “杠” means pole, so it denotes a bamboo pole.

Characters in this word

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

竹 pictures two bamboo stalks with leaves.

Open 竹 →

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
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng杠gàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

杠 has 木 (tree) on the left and 工 on the right. The 木 part is about wood, and 工 gives the sound.

Open 杠 →

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