Definitions

kuài (noun) chopstick

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. ⺮ represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "筷" for chopsticks originated from a deliberate linguistic alteration of the earlier term "箸", which became unpopular in some regions due to its homophonic link to concepts considered inauspicious. Its formation as a phono-semantic compound combines the bamboo radical, hinting at the common material used for these utensils, with the component "快", which provides pronunciation and implicitly suggests swiftness and practicality in use. This lexical shift represented a cultural rebranding aimed at invoking more favorable associations, leading to the gradual dominance of "筷" in written and spoken language while consistently denoting the same dining implements throughout its history.

Example Sentences Hide

我用子吃饭。

Wǒ yòng kuàizi chīfàn.

I eat with chopsticks.

她学习使用子。

Tā xuéxí shǐyòng kuàizi.

She learns to use chopsticks.

这些子是木制的。

Zhèxiē kuàizi shì mù zhì de.

These chopsticks are made of wood.

他拿起子夹菜。

Tā ná qǐ kuàizi jiā cài.

He picks up chopsticks to pick up food.

妈妈买了一双新子。

Māma mǎi le yī shuāng xīn kuàizi.

Mom bought a new pair of chopsticks.

我用子吃面条很容易。

Wǒ yòng kuàizi chī miàntiáo hěn róngyì.

It is easy for me to eat noodles with chopsticks.

如果你不会用子,可以用勺子。

Rúguǒ nǐ bù huì yòng kuàizi, kěyǐ yòng sháozi.

If you do not know how to use chopsticks, you can use a spoon.

这家餐厅提供的子是一次性的。

Zhè jiā cāntīng tígōng de kuàizi shì yīcìxìng de.

The chopsticks provided by this restaurant are disposable.