轮椅 (lún yǐ) — wheelchair | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A compound noun meaning 'wheelchair' — combines 轮 (wheel) with 椅 (chair). Distinguish from 轮子, which is just the wheel itself.

noun

wheelchair

Measure word · 辆

Examples

轮椅，。
Tā mǎi le yí liàng xīn lún yǐ, fāng biàn le hěn duō.
He bought a new wheelchair, which made things much more convenient.
轮椅。
Zuò lún yǐ de lǎo rén zhèng zài shài tài yáng.
The old man in the wheelchair is sunbathing.
轮椅。
Yī yuàn mén kǒu yǒu zhuān mén de lún yǐ tōng dào.
There is a dedicated wheelchair ramp at the hospital entrance.

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.

車侖輪

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.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

木奇椅

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

奇

奇qí椅yǐ

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

椅 combines 木 (wood) with 奇, which gives its sound.

Appears in

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