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老式 (lǎo shì) — old-fashioned, outdated

Definition

adjective
old-fashionedoutdated

Examples

  • 老式。
    Zhè jiā cān tīng de zhuāng xiū shì lǎo shì de.
    The decoration of this restaurant is old-fashioned.
  • 老式。
    Tā hái zài yòng yì tái lǎo shì diàn nǎo.
    He is still using an old-fashioned computer.
  • 老式。
    Zhè zhǒng lǎo shì de zuò fǎ yǐ jīng méi rén yòng le.
    This old-fashioned method is no longer used by anyone.

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.

老lǎoold
式shìstyle

老 (old) specifies the 式 (style) as an old style.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 老 combines 人 (man), 毛 (hair), and 匕 (cane), showing a man with long hair leaning on a cane.

Open 老 →

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
工工gōngwork
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì式shì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

式 pairs 工, meaning work, with 弋, which gives the sound.

Open 式 →
Appears in
Texture & Quality

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