扣 kòu to detain
to detain; button; to deduct; discount; to cover
怎么记住“扣”: 扌 hand + 口 mouth = to detain. The customs officer raises his hand, covers his mouth to cough, and waves the man with the odd suitcase aside to detain him.
部件结构
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
扣 = 扌 hand + 口 mouth
- 扌 hand meaning
- 口 mouth sound
The customs officer raises his hand, covers his mouth to cough, and waves the man with the odd suitcase aside to detain him.
How it came to be
The hand gives the meaning and the mouth gives the sound.
用法
- 扣 covers deducting, buttoning, and detaining: three senses tied together by the idea of "holding something back/down".
- 折扣 (zhékòu) is "discount", and 打折扣 or simply 打折 (dǎzhé) is how you say "give a discount" in shops: 打八折 (dǎ bā zhé) means 20% off.
- 扣分 (kòu fēn) means to deduct points (on a test or driving license), a very common phrase for students and drivers alike.
- 纽扣 (niǔkòu) is a literal button on clothing; 扣押/扣留 (kòuyā/kòuliú) are formal/legal terms for detaining a person or seizing goods, used in news rather than daily chat.