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轮子 (lún zi) — wheel

Definition

轮子 means 'wheel' — a concrete physical object (bicycle, car, suitcase). Use 轮 by itself for abstract senses like 'taking turns' or as a classifier; 轮椅 is the compound 'wheelchair'.

noun
wheel
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 轮子，。
    Zì xíng chē de lún zi huài le, xū yào xiū lǐ.
    The bicycle wheel is broken and needs repair.
  • 轮子，。
    Zhè ge xiāng zi de lún zi hěn líng huó, tuī qǐ lái hěn fāng biàn.
    The wheels on this suitcase are very smooth and easy to push.
  • 轮子。
    Qì chē yǒu sì gè lún zi.
    A car has four wheels.

Origin

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 輪; 轮 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
侖
侖lún輪lún
Same sound today

The traditional form 輪 uses 車, a carriage, and 侖 for the sound; the simplified 轮 is a later shorthand.

Open 轮 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Miscellaneous Objects

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