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糗 (qiǔ) — dry provisions for a journey; stored grain (in classical Chinese)

Definition

A classical-Chinese bound morpheme meaning 'dry provisions for a journey' — almost always seen in the set phrase 糗粮. Not used alone in modern Chinese.

bound form
dry provisions for a journeystored grain (in classical Chinese)

Examples

  • 糗，。
    Gǔ rén lǚ xíng cháng xié dài qiǔ liáng, yǐ bèi lù tú zhī xū.
    Ancient travelers often carried dry provisions to prepare for the journey's needs.
  • 糗。
    Zhè bù xiǎo shuō lǐ tí dào le shì bīng men fēn pèi qiǔ liáng de chǎng jǐng.
    This novel mentions a scene where soldiers distribute dry provisions.
  • 糗。
    Kǎo gǔ xué jiā fā xiàn le yì xiē gǔ dài qiǔ liáng dài.
    Archaeologists found some ancient bags for dry provisions.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
臭
臭chòu糗qiǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

糗 combines 米 (rice) for the food sense and 臭 for the sound.

Appears in
Food (General)

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