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铺盖 (pū gài) — to spread over, to cover (by spreading)

Definition

铺盖 (pūgài) means to spread a layer of something over a surface so it covers it. Often used with 把 to mark the thing being spread, e.g. 把雪/灰/毯子 铺盖在…上.

verb
to spread overto cover (by spreading)

Examples

  • 铺盖。
    Dà xuě pū gài le zhěng gè chéng shì.
    Heavy snow covered the entire city.
  • 铺盖。
    Tā bǎ tǎn zi pū gài zài chuáng shàng.
    He spread the blanket over the bed.
  • 铺盖。
    Huī chén pū gài zài zhuō miàn shàng.
    Dust covered the table surface.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

铺pùspread
盖gàicover

铺 “spread” and 盖 “cover” together describe spreading something over a surface.

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 鋪; 铺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīngold; metal
Sound part声符shēngfú
甫
甫fǔ鋪pū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鋪 pairs 金 (gold; metal) with 甫 as a sound part; the simplified 铺 is a shorthand.

Open 铺 →

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 蓋; 盖 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé蓋gài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 蓋 pairs 艸, grass, with 盍 for sound. It was a thatch, and it took on cover meanings after 盍 was borrowed for “why not”.

Open 盖 →
Appears in
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