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货色 (huò sè) — (neutral) goods, merchandise, stuff; (derogatory) junk, trash, worthless stuff

Definition

Literally 'goods', but in modern spoken use it almost always means 'junk, worthless stuff' (derogatory) — the neutral 'merchandise' sense is mostly written. Don't use it for normal products; reserve it for criticism.

noun
(neutral) goodsmerchandisestuff(derogatory) junktrashworthless stuff
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 货色。
    Zhè jiā diàn de huò sè zhì liàng bú cuò.
    The merchandise in this store is of good quality.
  • 货色。
    Nà xiē huò sè bù zhí dé mǎi.
    That stuff is not worth buying.
  • 货色。
    Zhè ge shì chǎng de huò sè zhǒng lèi hěn duō.
    This market has a wide variety of goods.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

货huògoods
色sèkind

货 names goods and 色 names their kind or quality; together they refer to merchandise.

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 貨; 货 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell, money
Sound part声符shēngfú
化
化huà貨huò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 貨 pairs 化 (sound) with 貝 (shell, money) to write valuable goods; the simplified 货 is a shorthand.

Open 货 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 爪爪zhuǎclaw; hand
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

色 pairs 爪 (a hand) with 卩 (a kneeling person), showing a hand pressing down on the kneeling person.

Open 色 →
Appears in
Shopping & Errands

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