马表 (mǎ biǎo) — stopwatch; large pocket watch

Definition

A 'horse watch' is a stopwatch, or historically a large pocket watch used in horse racing timing. Use 秒表 for modern digital stopwatches; 马表 now feels dated.

noun
stopwatchlarge pocket watch
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 马表，。
    Tā àn xià le mǎ biǎo de àn niǔ, kāi shǐ jì shí.
    He pressed the button on the stopwatch and started timing.
  • 马表。
    Zhè kuài mǎ biǎo shì yé ye liú xià lái de lǎo huái biǎo.
    This large pocket watch is an old heirloom from Grandpa.
  • 马表。
    Yùn dòng yuán yòng mǎ biǎo lái jì lù bǐ sài shí jiān.
    Athletes use stopwatches to record competition times.

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.

马mǎhorse
表biǎowatch

马 gives horse, and 表 gives a watch, naming a timing watch or pocket watch.

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 馬; 马 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 馬 shows a horse with its head facing left, a flowing mane, and two legs standing vertically.

Open 马 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 表 pairs 衣 (garment) with 毛 (hair or feather), originally an outer garment.

Open 表 →

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