超市 (chāo shì) — supermarket | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

supermarket

Measure word · 家

超市。
Zhè ge chāo shì hěn dà.
This supermarket is big.
超市。
Wǒ zài chāo shì mǎi le yí gè píng guǒ.
I bought an apple at the supermarket.
超市。
chāo shì Lǐ yǒu hěn duō rén.
There are many people in the supermarket.

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.

The first part means super, the second means market, so it denotes a large store.

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.

走召超

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

召

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

超 pairs 走, meaning “run,” with 召, which gives the sound.

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

兮兮xībustling

Sound part声符shēngfú

之

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The old form 市 pairs 兮, meaning bustling, with 之, the sound part.

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