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辫子 (biàn zi) — (literal) braid, pigtail, plait; (figurative) a mistake or shortcoming that can be exploited for leverage

Definition

辫子 names the finished braid itself — the noun for a plait of hair. The verb 编 is the action of braiding; 编织 and 编制 are more general 'weave/knit' verbs, not specific to hair.

noun
(literal) braidpigtailplait(figurative) a mistake or shortcoming that can be exploited for leverage
Measure word · 根, 条

Examples

  • 辫子。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù xǐ huan biān biàn zi.
    She has liked braiding braids since childhood.
  • 辫子。
    Tā xǐ huan zhuā zhù tóng shì de biàn zi lái gōng jī duì fāng.
    He likes to seize colleagues' mistakes to attack them.
  • 辫子，。
    Nà tiáo biàn zi hěn cháng, dōu kuài dào yāo le.
    That braid is very long, almost reaching the waist.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

辫biànbraid
子zǐnoun ending

辫 gives the braided shape, and 子 completes the familiar name for it.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 辫 →

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 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Body Parts

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