纽 (niǔ) — (noun) button (as in 纽扣); (noun) bond, link (as in 纽带); (noun) knob, handle (as in 旋纽, 门纽)
Definition
Literary/formal character for 'button, knob' and, figuratively, a 'bond' between things (纽带). On its own it is rare — learners will see it almost only in compounds like 纽扣 and 纽带.
noun
button (as in 纽扣)bondlink (as in 纽带)knobhandle (as in 旋纽, 门纽)
Measure word · 颗
Examples
- ，。Zhè jiàn chèn yī de niǔ kòu diào le, dé féng shàng.The button on this shirt fell off and needs to be sewn on.
- 。Jīng jì niǔ dài bǎ liǎng guó jǐn mì lián xì zài yì qǐ.Economic bonds closely tie the two countries together.
- 纽。Shōu yīn jī shàng de xuán niǔ shì yòng lái tiáo jié yīn liàng de.The knob on the radio is used to adjust the volume.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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 紐; 纽 is its simplified writing.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
丑
丑chǒu紐niǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 紐 has 糸 (silk) for tying and 丑 for sound; 丑 also points to a claw or hand, fitting a handle. The simplified 纽 is a later shorthand.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.