绳 (shéng): rope

Measure Word

一根绳 gēn

Meanings

1 rope
2 cord
3 string

Examples

用绳把箱子绑起来。

Yòng shéng bǎ xiāngzi bǎng qǐlái.

Tie the box up with rope.

这根绳太短了。

Zhè gēn shéng tài duǎn le.

This rope is too short.

Tips

usage

绳 is often used as 绳子 (shéngzi) in spoken Chinese. On its own, 绳 appears more in written or compound forms like 跳绳 (tiàoshéng, jump rope).

Components

radical

纟 sī

silk; thread (left-side radical)

Left silk radical — three strokes, simplified from the traditional 糸 (a hank of twisted silk). Carries the meaning: anything woven, twisted, knotted, or strung. Anchors 绳 with 线 (line/thread), 织 (weave), 结 (knot), 纺 (spin), 缠 (wrap), 纤 (fibre) — the entire textile-and-cordage family.

phonetic

黾 miǎn

frog; toad (phonetic)

Right phonetic 黾 — supplies a related sound (miǎn drifted to shéng, irregular but consistent in the small family). Pictograph of a frog viewed from above, with bulging body and splayed legs. Pure sound-borrow; no froggy meaning. Family: 蝇, 渑 — 绳 is by far the most common member.