舱盖 (cāng gài) — hatch cover; hatch | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

hatch coverhatch

Measure word · 个

舱盖。
Chuán shàng de cāng gài guān dé hěn jǐn.
The hatch cover on the ship is tightly closed.
舱盖。
Shuǐ shǒu dǎ kāi le cāng gài.
The sailor opened the hatch.
舱盖。
Qǐng jiǎn chá yí xià cāng gài yǒu méi yǒu suǒ hǎo.
Please check whether the hatch cover is locked.

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.

舱cāngship's hold

舱 names a ship's hold, and 盖 names a cover; together they mean the cover for a hatch.

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 艙; 舱 is its simplified writing.

舟倉艙

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

倉

倉cāng艙cāng

Same sound today

The traditional form 艙 has 舟 (boat) and 倉, and 倉 is used for the sound. The simplified 舱 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 蓋; 盖 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艸艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

盍

盍hé蓋gài

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

The traditional form 蓋 pairs 艸, grass, with 盍 for sound. It was a thatch, and it took on cover meanings after 盍 was borrowed for “why not”.