TongTong
Sign in

赌客 (dǔ kè) — gambler

Definition

noun
gambler
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 赌客。
    Nà ge dǔ kè shū le hěn duō qián.
    That gambler lost a lot of money.
  • 赌客。
    Zhè jiā dǔ chǎng měi tiān dōu yǒu hěn duō dǔ kè.
    This casino has many gamblers every day.
  • 赌客，。
    Tā yǐ qián shì gè dǔ kè, xiàn zài yǐ jīng jiè dǔ le.
    He used to be a gambler, but now he has quit gambling.

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.

赌dǔgamble
客kèperson

赌 describes gambling and 客 means a person, so a person who gambles.

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 賭; 赌 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell; money
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě賭dǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 賭 combines 貝 (shell; money) with 者, and this shape expresses the meaning to wager or to bet. The simplified 赌 is a shorthand.

Open 赌 →

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè客kè
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 客, 宀 is a roof and 各 gives the sound; the character meant a guest.

Open 客 →
Appears in
Gambling & ChancePeople (General)

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.