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首饰 (shǒu shì) — jewelry; ornaments (necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets, etc.)

Definition

首饰 (shǒushi) refers to decorative items worn on the body — rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets. Unlike 服饰 (clothing/accessories generally), 首饰 is only the jewelry, often precious or ornamental.

noun
jewelryornaments (necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets, etc.)
Measure word · 件
Easily confused

Examples

  • 首饰。
    Tā jīn tiān dài le yí tào piào liang de shǒu shì.
    She is wearing a beautiful set of jewelry today.
  • 首饰。
    Zhè jiā diàn de shǒu shì shè jì hěn dú tè.
    The jewelry design in this store is very unique.
  • 首饰？
    Nǐ zuì xǐ huan nǎ zhǒng shǒu shì?
    What kind of jewelry do you like best?

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.

首shǒuhead
饰shìornament

首 means head and 饰 means ornament, so it originally names a head ornament.

Characters in this word

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

The shape comes from an old drawing of an animal's head, showing a long mouth and horns; the version with hair became 首.

Open 首 →

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 飾; 饰 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
巾巾jīncloth
Sound part声符shēngfú
飤
飤sì飾shì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 飾 pairs 巾 (cloth) with 飤 as a sound part; the simplified 饰 is a later abbreviation.

Open 饰 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Footwear & Accessories

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