醋栗 (cù lì) — gooseberry | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

gooseberry

Measure word · 颗

醋栗，。
Zhè zhǒng cù lì hěn suān, dàn zuò guǒ jiàng hěn hǎo chī.
This kind of gooseberry is very sour, but it's delicious for making jam.
醋栗。
Tā zài hòu yuàn zhǒng le jǐ kē cù lì.
He planted a few gooseberry bushes in the backyard.
醋栗。
Chāo shì jīn tiān yǒu xīn xiān de cù lì mài.
The supermarket has fresh gooseberries for sale today.

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.

醋cùvinegar

栗lìchestnut

醋 gives a vinegar-like sour taste, and 栗 gives the small chestnut-like fruit.

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.

酉昔醋

Meaning part形符xíngfú

酉酉yǒu

Sound part声符shēngfú

昔

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

醋 is formed by placing 酉 beside 昔; 昔 supplies the sound, and 酉 marks the meaning.

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

栗 originally drew chestnuts growing on a tree.