钥匙孔 (yào shi kǒng) — keyhole

Definition

noun
keyhole
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 钥匙孔。
    Tā xiǎo xīn dì bǎ yào shi chā jìn yào shi kǒng lǐ.
    He carefully inserted the key into the keyhole.
  • 钥匙孔，。
    Qiáng shàng de yào shi kǒng hěn xiǎo, bù róng yì kàn jiàn.
    The keyhole on the wall is very small and not easy to see.
  • 钥匙孔，。
    Zhè ge suǒ de yào shi kǒng tài jiù le, yào shi hěn nán zhuǎn.
    The keyhole of this lock is too old; it's hard to turn the key.

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.

钥匙key
钥yào匙chí
孔kǒnghole

钥匙 names a key; 钥 and 匙 carry no separate meaning here. 孔 names a hole, so this is a hole for a key.

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 鑰; 钥 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
龠
龠yuè鑰⁰yuè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鑰 uses 金 to show a metal thing and 龠 to give the sound; the simplified 钥 is a later shorthand.

Open 钥 →

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
匕匕bǐspoon
Sound part声符shēngfú
是
是shì匙chí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

匙 is made of 匕, meaning spoon, and 是, giving a sound hint.

Open 匙 →

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

  • 丿丿piěopening
  • 子子zǐchild

孔 pairs 丿 (an opening) with 子 (a child), showing an opening in a newborn's skull.

Open 孔 →

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