订书针 (dìng shū zhēn) — staple (for stapling paper)

Definition

noun
staple (for stapling paper)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 订书针。
    Qǐng bǎ dìng shū zhēn dìng zài zuǒ shàng jiǎo.
    Please staple it in the upper left corner.
  • 订书针，。
    Zhè ge dìng shū zhēn bú gòu cháng, dìng bù chuān zhè me hòu de zhǐ.
    This staple isn't long enough to go through such thick paper.
  • 订书针，。
    Wǒ mǎi le sān hé dìng shū zhēn, yì hé dà gài yì bǎi méi.
    I bought three boxes of staples, about a hundred per box.

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.

订书bind book
订dìngbind书shūbook
动宾Verb + object
针zhēnneedle

The 订书 (binding pages) specifies the 针 (pin), giving a pin used to fasten paper.

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 訂; 订 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng訂dìng
Same sound today

The traditional form 訂 combines 言, related to speech, with 丁, which gives the sound; the simplified 订 is a later shorthand.

Open 订 →

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 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùwriting brush
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě書shū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Open 书 →

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 針; 针 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
釒Written in full as金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
十
十shí針zhēn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 針 puts 釒, the metal side, beside 十, which gives the sound; 针 is a simplified shorthand.

Open 针 →

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