锯 (jù): saw (tool)

Measure Word

一把锯 bǎ

Meanings

1 saw (tool)
2 to saw; to cut with a saw

Characters

锯

jù

saw (tool)

Examples

HSK 3

他用锯把木头锯成两半。

Tā yòng jù bǎ mùtou jù chéng liǎng bàn.

He used a saw to cut the wood in half.

HSK 6

这把锯很锋利，小心使用。

Zhè bǎ jù hěn fēnglì, xiǎoxīn shǐyòng.

This saw is very sharp; use it carefully.

Tips

memory

锯 has the metal radical 钅 on the left (it's a metal tool) and 居 on the right as the phonetic component.

Components

radical

钅 jīn

metal (radical form)

Left metal radical - simplified form of 金, the indexing radical. Marks 锯 as a forged metal tool. Anchors the family of metal implements alongside 钉 (nail), 锤 (hammer), 锁 (lock), 针 (needle) - the radical alone tells you instantly the entry is metalwork.

phonetic

居 jū

to dwell (here phonetic)

Right 居 supplies the sound (jū to jù, only tone differs). The dwelling meaning of 居 doesn't carry - pure phonetic shell. Same key serves the same sound family in 据 (jù, according to). Compact PSC: metal radical + jù-phonetic = saw.