金箍棒 (jīn gū bàng) — the Monkey King's legendary golden cudgel (from the novel Journey to the West)

Definition

The legendary golden staff wielded by Sun Wukong (孙悟空) in Journey to the West — changeable in size at its owner's command, weighing 13,500 catties.

noun
the Monkey King's legendary golden cudgel (from the novel Journey to the West)
Measure word · 根

Examples

  • 金箍棒。
    Sūn wù kōng ná zhe jīn gū bàng yǔ yāo guài zhàn dòu.
    Sun Wukong fights monsters with his golden cudgel.
  • 金箍棒《》。
    jīn gū bàng Shì 《xī yóu jì》 zhōng zuì zhù míng de wǔ qì.
    The golden cudgel is the most famous weapon in Journey to the West.
  • ，金箍棒。
    Sūn wù kōng qīng qīng yí pèng, jīn gū bàng jiù biàn xiǎo le.
    Sun Wukong touched it lightly, and the golden cudgel shrank.

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.

金箍golden band
金jīngold箍gūband
偏正Modifier + head
棒bàngcudgel

金箍 describes a golden band, and 棒 names the cudgel.

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.

金 was drawn with marks for two pieces of metal, along with a part that gave its sound; it first meant copper, then metals and gold.

Open 金 →

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
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
㧜
㧜㧜箍gū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

箍 is made from 竹 (bamboo) plus 㧜, with 竹 contributing the meaning and 㧜 contributing the sound.

Open 箍 →

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mùtree, wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
奉
奉fèng棒bàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

棒 combines 木 (wood) with 奉, which gives the sound, to write a wooden club.

Open 棒 →

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