脚镣 (jiǎo liào) — foot fetters, shackles

Definition

noun

foot fettersshackles

Measure word · 副

脚镣。
Fàn rén dài zhe jiǎo liào zǒu dé hěn màn.
The prisoner, wearing shackles, walked very slowly.
脚镣，。
Gǔ dài fàn rén bèi jiā shàng jiǎo liào, wú fǎ táo pǎo.
Ancient prisoners were put in shackles and couldn't escape.
脚镣，。
Tā zhēng zhá zhuó xiǎng yào zhèng tuō jiǎo liào, dàn shī bài le.
He struggled to break free from the shackles but failed.

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.

镣liàoshackle

脚 is the foot and 镣 is a shackle, giving a shackle worn on the feet.

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.

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 鐐; 镣 is its simplified writing.

金尞鐐

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

尞

尞liáo鐐liào

Same sound today

The traditional form 鐐 shows metal with 金 and takes its sound from 尞; the simplified 镣 is a later shorthand.

Appears in