豆 dòu bean
bean; peas; bean-shaped
How it came to be
象形 · Pictogram · 假借 borrowed for its sound
A drawing of the thing it means.
Originally: stemmed dish
The oracle bone form is a container on a tall stand; the word for beans later borrowed it for its sound.
用法
- Beans/legumes; also anything small and bean-shaped. 豆子 (dòuzi) beans, 土豆 (tǔdòu) potato (lit. 'earth bean').
- Very common in food words: 豆腐 (dòufu) tofu, 豆浆 (dòujiāng) soy milk, a classic breakfast pair with 油条.
- Watch the tone/shape: 豆 (dòu) bean vs 头 (tóu) head look nothing alike but 逗 (dòu, to tease) shares this phonetic.