缝隙 (fèng xì) — crack, crevice, chink | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

crackcrevicechink

Measure word · 道

缝隙。
Qiáng shàng de fèng xì yuè lái yuè dà le.
The crack in the wall is getting bigger and bigger.
缝隙。
Yáng guāng cóng mén de fèng xì lǐ zhào jìn lái.
Sunlight shines in through the crack in the door.
缝隙。
Yán shí de fèng xì lǐ zhǎng chū le yì kē xiǎo shù.
A small tree grew out of a crevice in the rock.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

缝 and 隙 both refer to narrow openings, so together they mean a crack or gap.

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 縫; 缝 is its simplified writing.

糹逢縫

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糹Written in full as糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

逢

逢féng縫fèng(r)

Same sound today

The traditional form 縫 pairs 糸 with 逢; 逢 gives the sound, and 糸 fits the sense. The simplified 缝 is a shorthand.

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

⻖Written in full as阜fùmound

Sound part声符shēngfú

𡭴

𡭴𡭴隙

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

In 隙, the left ⻖ is the mound form 阜, while 𡭴 gives the sound; the whole shows a hole or gap in a wall.