芦 (lú) — (bound form) reed; (bound form) gourd
Definition
芦 (lú) is a bound form, almost always seen in 芦苇 (reed) and 葫芦 (gourd); it never stands alone. Think of it as a 'combining piece' rather than a word you say by itself.
bound form
reedgourd
Easily confused
- 户hùlook-alike(classifier) for households, families, or registered residences
- 卢lúsound-alikegourd (in compounds such as 葫芦, though 芦 is more common)
- 炉lúsound-alike(bound form) stove, furnace (used in compounds such as 炉子, 电炉, 火炉)
- 颅lúsound-alikeskull, cranium
- 鲈lúsound-alikebass (fish), perch (fish)
- 泸lúsound-alikeriver name (historical)
Examples
- 。lú Wěi dàng lǐ yǒu hěn duō shuǐ niǎo.There are many water birds in the reed marshes.
- 。Zhè ge hú lú kě yǐ yòng lái zhuāng jiǔ.This gourd can be used to hold wine.
- 。Yuàn zi lǐ guà zhe jǐ gè hú lú.A few gourds are hanging in the yard.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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
艹Written in full as艸cǎoplant
Sound part声符shēngfú
户
户hù芦lú
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
芦 combines 艹, the plant marker, with 户, which gives the sound.
Appears in
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