脚手架 (jiǎo shǒu jià) — scaffold (construction) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

scaffold (construction)

Measure word · 座

Examples

脚手架。
Gōng rén men zhèng zài dā jiǎo shǒu jià.
The workers are putting up the scaffold.
脚手架。
Zhè xiē jiǎo shǒu jià shì yòng gāng guǎn hé kòu jiàn lián jiē de.
These scaffolds are connected with steel pipes and fasteners.
脚手架。
Chāi chú jiǎo shǒu jià zhī qián yào jiǎn chá měi gè lián jiē diǎn.
Each connection point must be checked before dismantling the scaffold.

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.

脚手feet and hands

脚jiǎofoot手shǒuhand

联合Coordinate

脚手 covers feet and hands, and 架 is the frame that supports them.

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 腳; 脚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat, body

Sound part声符shēngfú

卻

卻què腳jiǎo

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

The traditional form 腳 uses ⺼ for a body part and 卻 for the sound; the simplified 脚 is a later shorthand.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

手 draws a five-fingered human hand: the top line is a bent middle finger, and the horizontal lines show the other four fingers.

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

加木架

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree, wood

Sound part声符shēngfú

加

加jiā架jià

Same sound today

架 shows 木, meaning wood, with 加 giving the sound; it refers to a wooden prop.

Appears in

Buildings & Structures Miscellaneous Objects

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