软椅 (ruǎn yī) — soft chair, upholstered chair

Definition

noun
soft chairupholstered chair
Measure word · 把

Examples

  • 软椅。
    Tā zuò zài ruǎn yī shàng kàn shū.
    He sits in the soft chair reading a book.
  • 软椅。
    Kè tīng lǐ yǒu yì zhāng ruǎn yī.
    There is a soft chair in the living room.
  • 软椅。
    Zhè zhāng ruǎn yī hěn shū fu.
    This soft chair is very comfortable.

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.

软ruǎnsoft
椅yǐchair

软椅 is a 椅 that is 软, a soft upholstered chair.

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 軟; 软 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
耎
耎ruǎn軟ruǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 軟 pairs 車 (carriage) with 耎 as a sound part; 耎 depicted a man under rain, and simplified 软 uses a later right side instead of 耎.

Open 软 →

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
木木mù
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.

Open 椅 →

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