门环 (mén huán) — door knocker (ring-shaped, often on traditional…

Definition

noun

door knocker (ring-shaped, often on traditional Chinese doors)

Measure word · 个

门环。
Nà shàn mén shàng yǒu yí gè tóng zhì de mén huán.
That door has a copper ring knocker.
，。
Tā qīng qīng qiāo le qiāo mén huán, děng dài kāi mén.
He gently knocked the ring knocker and waited for the door to open.
门环。
Gǔ jiàn zhù de mén huán tōng cháng diāo kè dé hěn jīng měi.
The ring knockers on ancient buildings are usually beautifully carved.

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.

门环 is the 环 on a 门, used as a door knocker.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 門; 门 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 門 pictures a gate as two door shapes side by side; the simplified 门 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 環; 环 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

玉玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

睘

睘qióng環huán

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

The traditional form 環 pairs 玉 (jade) with a sound part; the simplified 环 is a shorthand and its right side is not the historical sound part.