褥子 (rù zi) — cotton mattress pad, bedding pad

Definition

A padded cotton mattress pad laid on top of a bed (measure word 床). Thicker and softer than a bedsheet, but not a full quilt (被子) — it sits between sheet and blanket.

noun
cotton mattress padbedding pad
Measure word · 床

Examples

  • 褥子。
    Wǒ zài chuáng shàng fàng le yì tiáo hòu rù zi.
    I put a thick mattress pad on the bed.
  • 褥子，。
    Zhè tiáo rù zi fēi cháng nuǎn huo, wǒ xǐ huan dōng tiān yòng.
    This mattress pad is very warm; I like to use it in winter.
  • 褥子。
    Nǎi nai qīn shǒu zuò le yì chuáng xīn rù zi.
    Grandma made a new mattress pad by hand.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

褥rùmattress pad
子zǐsuffix

'褥' (mattress pad) and 子 together refer to a bedding pad.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衣衣yī
Sound part声符shēngfú
辱
辱rǔ褥rù
Same sound today

褥 is built from 衣 and 辱: 衣 is the meaning part, and 辱 is the sound part.

Open 褥 →

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →

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