纸牌 (zhǐ pái) — playing cards | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

playing cards

Measure word · 副

Examples

纸牌。
Tā xǐ huan zài zhōu mò hé péng you wán zhǐ pái.
He likes to play cards with friends on weekends.
纸牌，。
Zhè zhǐ pái hěn jīng zhì, shì péng you sòng de lǐ wù.
These playing cards are very exquisite; they were a gift from a friend.
纸牌，。
Tā mǎi le yì zhǐ pái xīn zhǐ pái, zhǔn bèi míng tiān dǎ pái.
He bought a new deck of playing cards, planning to play cards tomorrow.

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.

纸牌 pairs 纸 (paper) with 牌 (cards), giving cards made of paper.

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 紙; 纸 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìsilk

Sound part声符shēngfú

氏

氏shì紙zhǐ

Same sound today

For 纸, the traditional form 紙 combines 糸 (silk) with 氏 (the sound part).

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

片卑牌

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

卑

卑bēi牌pái

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

牌 puts 片, a flat piece, beside 卑, which gives the sound.

Appears in

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