莲蓬头 (lián péng tóu) — showerhead, shower nozzle

Definition

noun
showerheadshower nozzle
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 莲蓬头。
    Zhè ge lián péng tóu de shuǐ liú hěn dà.
    The water flow from this showerhead is strong.
  • 莲蓬头。
    Xīn mǎi de lián péng tóu ān zhuāng qǐ lái hěn fāng biàn.
    The new showerhead was easy to install.
  • 莲蓬头。
    Wǒ xū yào huàn yí gè lián péng tóu.
    I need to replace the showerhead.

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.

莲蓬lotus seedpod
莲liánlotus蓬péngseedpod
偏正Modifier + head
头tóunozzle

莲蓬 resembles a spray nozzle, so 莲蓬头 names the shower spout.

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 蓮; 莲 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
連
連lián蓮lián
Same sound today

The traditional form 蓮 puts the plant mark 艹 above 連, which gives the sound. The simplified 莲 is a later shorthand.

Open 莲 →

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
艸艸cǎovegetation
Sound part声符shēngfú
逢
逢féng蓬péng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

蓬 pairs 艸 (vegetation) with 逢, which gives the sound.

Open 蓬 →

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 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →

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