About
筒 originally was written as 同 before the bamboo radical 竹 was added to clarify its meaning. In its current form, 竹 (bamboo) sits atop 同 ('same' or 'together'), forming a phonosemantic compound where the radical indicates a bamboo object and 同 provides the sound. The character's earliest meaning was a thick section of bamboo cut between nodes, yielding a hollow cylindrical container or pipe. With advances in manufacturing, its use expanded to any tube-shaped object, such as metal pipes, cardboard mailing tubes, or the barrel of a gun. The bamboo radical thus preserves a historical link to its botanical origin as a hollow plant stalk.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这个笔筒很实用。
邮筒是绿色的。
他清理了烟筒。
筒仓里装满了粮食。
客厅安装了新筒灯。
她穿了一条蓝色筒裙。
我把硬币存进储蓄筒。
工程师正在测试筒体的压力。
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