(shéng) — rope; string; (surname) Sheng

Definition

noun
ropestring(surname) Sheng
Measure word ·

Examples

  • Zhè gēn shéng zi hěn cū, néng chéng shòu hěn zhòng de wù pǐn.
    This rope is very thick and can bear heavy items.
  • Dēng shān zhě yòng shéng zi bǎo hù zì jǐ de ān quán.
    Climbers use rope to protect their own safety.
  • Tā yòng lì yì lā, shéng zi jiù duàn le.
    He gave it a hard pull, and the rope snapped.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 繩; 绳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
mǐnshéng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 繩 is built from 糸, the rope/string part, and 黽, the sound part.

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