褶皱 (zhě zhòu) — (geology) fold; folding; wrinkle (in skin or cloth)

Definition

A technical/geological term for a 'fold' in rock layers, also used in everyday Chinese for wrinkles in skin or fabric. Less common than 皱纹 (wrinkles on skin) or 折痕 (creases from folding).

noun
(geology) foldfoldingwrinkle (in skin or cloth)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 褶皱。
    Zhè zuò shān de yán céng yǒu míng xiǎn de zhě zhòu.
    The rock layers of this mountain have obvious folds.
  • 褶皱。
    Tā liǎn shàng de zhě zhòu yuè lái yuè duō.
    She has more and more wrinkles on her face.
  • 褶皱。
    Zhè jiàn chèn shān de zhě zhòu xū yào yùn yí xià.
    The wrinkles in this shirt need to be ironed.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

褶zhěfold
皱zhòuwrinkle

褶 means fold and 皱 means wrinkle; together they name creases in cloth or skin.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 褶 →

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 皺; 皱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
皮皮pí
Sound part声符shēngfú
芻
芻chú皺zhòu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 皺 pairs 皮 (skin) with 芻 as a sound part; the simplified 皱 is a shorthand and its visible parts are not the historical ones.

Open 皱 →

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