胖墩 (pàng dūn) — chubby person (affectionate nickname) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

An affectionate nickname for a chubby person (often a child or pet), like calling someone 'little fatty'. Often reduplicated as 胖墩儿 to sound cuter.

noun

chubby person (affectionate nickname)

Measure word · 个

Examples

，胖墩。
Tā xiǎo shí hou pàng pàng de, suǒ yǐ dà jiā dōu jiào tā pàng dūn.
When he was little he was chubby, so everyone called him Fatty.
，胖墩。
Zhè zhī xiǎo gǒu cháng dé yuán gǔn gǔn de, xiàng gè pàng dūn.
This puppy is round and chubby, like a little fatty.
胖墩，。
pàng dūn, Nǐ guò lái ràng mā ma bào bào.
Chubby, come over and let Mommy give you a hug.

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.

胖 describes the body, and 墩 compares it to a solid stump.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

半

半bàn胖pán

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

胖 pairs 肉, which relates to flesh or the body, with 半, which gives a clue to the sound.

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

土敦墩

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔsoil

Sound part声符shēngfú

敦

敦dūn墩dūn

Same sound today

墩 pairs 土 (soil) with 敦, which gives the sound dūn.

Appears in

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