Definitions

(noun,classifier) width; measurement unit for cloth or silk
(classifier) scroll; piece (of artwork)

Etymology

A roll  of cloth  also provides the pronunciation

About

As a phono-semantic compound, 幅 combines the semantic radical 巾 (jīn, cloth) on the left, indicating its connection to textiles and fabrics, with the phonetic component 畐 (fú, a full vessel) on the right, which provides the pronunciation. The character originally referred to the width of a roll of cloth or a garment hem. From this concrete measurement, its meaning expanded to serve as a measure word for flat, spread-out objects such as paintings and photographs, and more broadly to denote the extent or width of various objects and phenomena.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这是一美丽的画。

Zhè shì yī fú měilì de huà.

This is a beautiful painting.

墙上挂着一地图。

Qiáng shàng guà zhe yī fú dìtú.

A map is hanging on the wall.

画的颜色很鲜艳。

Zhè fú huà de yánsè hěn xiānyàn.

The colors of this painting are very bright.

他买了一巨大的油画。

Tā mǎi le yī fú jùdà de yóuhuà.

He bought a huge oil painting.

报纸上有一重要的图表。

Bàozhǐ shàng yǒu yī fú zhòngyào de túbiǎo.

There is an important chart in the newspaper.

照片的宽度调整过了。

Zhè fú zhàopiàn de kuāndù tiáozhěng guò le.

The width of this photo has been adjusted.

价格下降的度很大。

Jiàgé xiàjiàng de fúdù hěn dà.

The extent of the price drop is large.

由于这画的历史价值,博物馆决定高价收购。

Yóuyú zhè fú huà de lìshǐ jiàzhí, bówùguǎn juédìng gāojià shōugòu.

Due to the historical value of this painting, the museum decided to purchase it at a high price.