铁链 (tiě liàn) — iron chain; shackles, fetters (figurative) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

iron chainshacklesfetters (figurative)

Measure word · 条

Examples

铁链。
Zhè tiáo tiě liàn hěn zhòng.
This iron chain is very heavy.
铁链。
Tā yòng yì gēn tiě liàn bǎ mén suǒ shàng le.
He used an iron chain to lock the door.
铁链。
Tā jué de zì jǐ bèi gōng zuò de tiě liàn kǔn zhù le.
He feels tied up by the chains of work.

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.

铁 gives the material, 链 the linked object, so 铁链 is a chain made of iron.

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 鐵; 铁 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

𢧤

𢧤𢧤鐵tiě

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

The traditional form 鐵 pairs 金 (metal) with 𢧤 as a sound part; the simplified 铁 is a later shorthand.

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 鏈; 链 is its simplified writing.

金連鏈

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

連

連lián鏈liàn

Same sound today

The traditional form 鏈 pairs 金 (metal) with 連, which gives the sound; the simplified 链 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical parts.

Appears in

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