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鼠标 (shǔ biāo) — computer mouse

Definition

Means 'computer mouse' only — the animal mouse is 老鼠. Built from 鼠 (mouse/rat) + 标 (marker), but it refers to the pointing device, not the animal.

noun
computer mouse
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 鼠标。
    Wǒ bǎ shǔ biāo fàng zài bāo lǐ le.
    I put the mouse in my bag.
  • 鼠标。
    Zhè ge shǔ biāo shì hēi sè de.
    This mouse is black.
  • 鼠标。
    Tā huàn le yí gè xīn shǔ biāo.
    He changed to a new mouse.

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.

鼠shǔmouse
标biāopointer

鼠 evokes a small mouse, and 标 means pointer, naming the mouse-shaped pointer.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 鼠 pictures a rat: the upper part looks like an open mouth with teeth, while the lower part shows two feet on the left and a tail on the right.

Open 鼠 →

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 標; 标 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
票
票piào標biāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 標 pairs 木 with 票, and 票 gives the sound; the simplified 标 is the modern form of that traditional character.

Open 标 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Computers & Internet

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