顶针 (dǐng zhēn) — thimble | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

thimble

Measure word · 个

Easily confused

顶针。
Tā zuò yī fu de shí hou yòng dǐng zhēn.
She uses a thimble when making clothes.
顶针。
Wǒ zài shì chǎng mǎi le yí gè xīn dǐng zhēn.
I bought a new thimble at the market.
顶针。
Zhè ge dǐng zhēn hěn xiǎo.
This thimble is very small.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

顶 (push) and 针 (needle) together name a tool used to press a needle.

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 頂; 顶 is its simplified writing.

丁頁頂

Meaning part形符xíngfú

頁頁yèhead

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

Same sound today

The traditional form 頂 pairs 頁, meaning head, with 丁, which supplies the sound; the simplified 顶 is a later abbreviation.

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 針; 针 is its simplified writing.

釒十針

Meaning part形符xíngfú

釒Written in full as金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

十

十shí針zhēn

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

The traditional form 針 puts 釒, the metal side, beside 十, which gives the sound; 针 is a simplified shorthand.