TongTong
Sign in

红帽子 (hóng mào zi) — red cap (a cap that is red); (railway) porter, redcap

Definition

Literally 'red cap' (the cap itself), but also a colloquial term for a railway station porter, who traditionally wore a red cap. The sense depends on context: an item of clothing vs. a person who helps with luggage.

noun
red cap (a cap that is red)(railway) porterredcap
Measure word · 顶

Examples

  • 红帽子。
    Tā dài zhe yì dǐng hóng mào zi.
    He is wearing a red cap.
  • 红帽子。
    Chē zhàn de hóng mào zi bāng wǒ men bān xíng li.
    The redcap at the station helped us carry luggage.
  • 红帽子。
    Zhè dǐng hóng mào zi shì tā zuì xǐ huan de mào zi.
    This red cap is his favorite hat.

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.

红hóngred
帽子cap
帽màocap子zǐsuffix
后缀Suffix

红 gives red and 帽子 gives cap; together they name a red cap or railway porter.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 紅; 红 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng紅hóng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 紅 puts 糸 (silk) next to 工, which gives the sound; the simplified 红 is a later shorthand.

Open 红 →

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
巾巾jīncloth
Sound part声符shēngfú
冒
冒mào帽mào
Same sound today

帽 uses 巾 (cloth) for the meaning and 冒 for the sound. The earlier form 冃 was later written with 目 and 巾 added.

Open 帽 →

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →
Appears in
ClothingProfessions & Jobs

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.