钢索 (gāng suǒ) — steel cable; hawser | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

steel cablehawser

Measure word · 根

钢索。
Gōng rén yòng gāng suǒ bǎ huò wù diào dào lóu shàng.
The workers used a steel cable to hoist the goods upstairs.
钢索。
Zhè zuò qiáo yóu jǐ gēn gāng suǒ zhī chēng zhe.
This bridge is supported by several steel cables.
钢索，。
gāng suǒ Fēi cháng jiē shi, kě yǐ chéng shòu hěn dà de zhòng liàng.
Steel cables are very strong and can bear a lot of weight.

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.

钢索 names a 索 (cable) made of 钢 (steel).

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 鋼; 钢 is its simplified writing.

金岡鋼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

岡

岡gāng鋼gàng

Same sound today

The traditional form 鋼 shows 金, meaning metal, next to 岡, which carries the sound gāng; the simplified 钢 is a later shorthand.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

索 combines 糸 (thread) and 𣎳 (stripping fibres from a hemp stalk), showing threads or rope being pulled out from a fabric.