纱布 (shā bù) — gauze; gauze bandage | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

gauzegauze bandage

Measure word · 块

Examples

纱布。
Yī shēng yòng shā bù bāo zā shāng kǒu.
The doctor used gauze to bandage the wound.
纱布。
Zhè kuài shā bù hěn gān jìng.
This piece of gauze is very clean.
纱布。
Qǐng ná yí juàn shā bù gěi wǒ.
Please bring me a roll of gauze.

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.

纱布 means a 布 (cloth) made from 纱 (yarn).

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 紗; 纱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìthread

Sound part声符shēngfú

沙

沙shā紗shā

Same sound today

The traditional form 紗 uses 糸 to mark a thread-related meaning and 沙 for the sound. The modern simplified 纱 is a shortened form.

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jīnkerchief

Sound part声符shēngfú

父

父fù布bù

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

布 pairs 巾, a kerchief, with 父 as a sound part.

Appears in

Medicine & Treatment

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