Chinese word

口子

Pronunciation

Pinyinkǒu zi

Meaning

  • nountear

Example

洗衣服时，不小心把裤子扯出个口子。xǐ yī fú shí bù xiǎo xīn bǎ kù zi chě chū gè kǒu zi

While washing clothes, I accidentally made a tear in my pants.

Illustration for 口子 (tear)

More examples

猫抓坏了沙发，弄出个口子。māo zhuā huài le shā fā nòng chū gè kǒu zi

The cat scratched the sofa and made a tear in it.

Core concept

A small slit-like opening where fabric has been pulled apart, often with loose threads around the edges.

Common phrases

  • 扯出个口子chě chū gè kǒu zi

    make a tear

  • 补好口子bǔ hǎo kǒu zi

    mend the tear

  • 缝上口子fèng shàng kǒu zi

    sew up the tear

Similar words

破洞pò dòng: An opening made by fabric tearing or wearing through, especially in clothing or cloth.

Definition in Chinese

指因拉扯、摩擦或磨损在衣物、布料上形成的小裂缝或破洞，常伴随线头外露且范围较小。zhǐ yīn lā chě mó cā huò mó sǔn zài yī wù bù liào shàng xíng chéng de xiǎo liè fèng huò pò dòng cháng bàn suí xiàn tóu wài lù qiě fàn wéi jiào xiǎo

Word origin

It is formed from 口 (kǒu, "mouth or opening") + 子 (zi, "noun-forming suffix"), giving a fabric tear the image of a little opening.

Usage tips

  • English uses tear for both a noun and an action, while 口子 (kǒuzi, "tear") is a noun, so it names the damaged spot rather than the act of ripping.

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