颗 (kē) — (classifier) for small roundish objects such as pearls, grains, teeth, hearts, stars, satellites
Definition
颗 is a classifier for small, roundish, solid things (teeth, pearls, stars, hearts). Compare 粒 (smaller grains/pills) and 枚 (flat objects like coins or rings, or larger items like satellites).
classifier
for small roundish objects such as pearls, grains, teeth, hearts, stars, satellites
Examples
- 颗。Tā sòng gěi wǒ yì kē zhēn zhū.He gave me a pearl.
- 颗。Wǒ de yì kē yá téng le.One of my teeth hurts.
- 颗。Tiān shàng yǒu yì kē xīng xing.There is a star in the sky.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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 顆; 颗 is its simplified writing.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
果
果guǒ顆kē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 顆 combines 果, which gives the sound, with 頁, meaning head. This is about 顆, not the simplified 颗.
Grammar
Appears in
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