幌

huǎng
巾 + 晃

Definitions

huǎng shop sign; (literary) window curtain

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 巾 represents the meaning and 晃 represents the sound.

Semantic: 巾 Phonetic: 晃

About

幌 is a phonosemantic compound made up of 巾 'cloth', which suggests the meaning, and 晃, which provides the sound. The earliest meaning was a cloth curtain or canopy used to block light or partition a space. Later, shopkeepers adopted the character for the distinctive cloth signs they hung outside their stores to attract customers, so 幌 came to mean a shop sign or commercial banner. From this notion of an outward display, the character eventually acquired the metaphorical meaning of a pretense or facade, a cover for concealing one's true intentions or illicit activities.

Example Sentences Hide

幌子挂在商店外。

Huǎngzi guà zài shāngdiàn wài.

The signboard is hung outside the shop.

这个幌子颜色很鲜艳。

Zhège huǎngzi yánsè hěn xiānyàn.

This signboard's color is very bright.

他以旅游为幌子收集情报。

Tā yǐ lǚyóu wéi huǎngzi shōují qíngbào.

He uses travel as a pretense to collect intelligence.

她借口生病只是个幌子。

Tā jièkǒu shēngbìng zhǐ shì gè huǎngzi.

Her excuse of being sick is just a pretense.

那个组织用慈善作幌子掩盖非法行为。

Nàgè zǔzhī yòng císhàn zuò huǎngzi yǎngài fēifǎ xíngwéi.

That organization uses charity as a pretense to cover up illegal activities.

在幌子的掩护下，他们进行了交易。

Zài huǎngzi de yǎnhù xià, tāmen jìnxíngle jiāoyì.

Under the cover of the pretense, they conducted a transaction.

这家公司以研发为幌子，实际上在逃避税收。

Zhè jiā gōngsī yǐ yánfā wéi huǎngzi, shíjì shàng zài táobì shuìshōu.

This company uses research and development as a pretense, actually to evade taxes.

国际观察员指出，这次选举不过是独裁者的一个幌子。

Guójì guāncháyuán zhǐchū, zhè cì xuǎnjǔ bùguò shì dúcáizhě de yīgè huǎngzi.

International observers point out that this election is merely a pretense by the dictator.

Related Characters

Component: 巾

常 市 带 布 帝 帮 席 币 幕 幅 帕 帐 饰 帽

Component: 晃

㨪 榥 滉 熀 鎤

Example Words

幌子 札幌