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铜板 (tóng bǎn) — (historical) copper coin; copper sheet, copper plate

Definition

Literally 'copper plate', used for both flat copper sheets/panels and (historically) copper coins. Today most often refers to the old coin in cultural or antique contexts.

noun
(historical) copper coincopper sheetcopper plate
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 铜板，。
    Tā shǒu lǐ ná zhe yì méi tóng bǎn, wèn zhè shì nǎ ge cháo dài de.
    He held a copper coin in his hand and asked which dynasty it was from.
  • 铜板，。
    Zhè kuài tóng bǎn hěn hòu, shì hé zuò zhuāng shì.
    This copper plate is thick and suitable for decorations.
  • 铜板。
    Tā zài jiù huò shì chǎng mǎi le jǐ méi tóng bǎn.
    He bought a few copper coins at the flea market.

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.

铜tóngcopper
板bǎnplate

铜 means copper and 板 means plate, so together they name a copper coin or copper sheet.

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 銅; 铜 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
同
同tóng銅tóng
Same sound today

The traditional form 銅 pairs 金 (metal) with 同 as the sound part; the simplified 铜 is a shorthand.

Open 铜 →

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
反
反fǎn板bǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

板 pairs 木 (tree) with 反 as a sound part.

Open 板 →
Appears in
Money & Currency

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