链锁 (liàn suǒ) — chain lock, padlock with a chain

Definition

A chain lock — a lock with a chain attached, used to secure bikes, suitcases, gates, etc. 锁 by itself is just a general lock; 链锁 specifically refers to this chain-style design.

noun
chain lockpadlock with a chain
Easily confused

Examples

  • 链锁。
    Tā yòng liàn suǒ bǎ zì xíng chē suǒ zài lán gān shàng le.
    He locked his bike to the railing with a chain lock.
  • 链锁，。
    Zhè ge liàn suǒ de yào shi diū le, dé zhǎo rén dǎ kāi.
    The key to this chain lock is lost; we need to find someone to open it.
  • 链锁，。
    Lǚ xíng xiāng shàng yǒu yì bǎ liàn suǒ, kě yǐ fáng dào.
    There's a chain lock on the suitcase to prevent theft.

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.

链liànchain
锁suǒlock

链 names the chain and 锁 names the lock, forming a chain lock or padlock with a chain.

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 鏈; 链 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīn
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.

Open 链 →

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 鎖; 锁 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
𧴪
𧴪𧴪鎖suǒ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鎖 pairs 金 (metal) with a sound component, 𧴪; the simplified 锁 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the original parts.

Open 锁 →

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