钻孔 (zuān kǒng) — to drill a hole | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A separable verb meaning to drill a hole (with a drill or machine), used in technical and construction contexts. It splits as 钻…孔, e.g. 钻了一个孔.

verb

to drill a hole

。
Tā zài qiáng shàng zuàn le yí gè kǒng.
He drilled a hole in the wall.
钻孔。
Gōng rén yòng jī qì zuān kǒng.
Workers use machines to drill holes.
？
Zhè kuài mù bǎn xū yào zuàn jǐ gè kǒng?
How many holes need to be drilled in this wood board?

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

钻 means to drill and 孔 means hole, so 钻孔 describes the action of making a hole.

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 鑽; 钻 is its simplified writing.

釒贊鑽

Meaning part形符xíngfú

釒Written in full as金jīn

Sound part声符shēngfú

贊

贊zàn鑽zuàn

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

The traditional form 鑽 pairs 釒 (metal) with 贊, which gives the sound; the simplified 钻 is a later shorthand.

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

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

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