Chinese word

扣子

Pronunciation

Pinyinkòu zi

Meaning

  • nounbutton

Example

这件衬衫少了一个扣子。zhè jiàn chèn shān shǎo le yí gè kòu zi

This shirt is missing a button.

Illustration for 扣子 (button)

More examples

出门前记得把外套的扣子扣上。chū mén qián jì de bǎ wài tào de kòu zi kòu shàng

Remember to button up your coat before you leave.

Core concept

A small clothing closure that brings two parts together and holds them in place.

Common phrases

  • 把扣子扣上bǎ kòu zi kòu shàng

    button up

  • 解开扣子jiě kāi kòu zi

    unbutton

  • 缝上扣子fèng shàng kòu zi

    sew on a button

Similar words

纽扣niǔ kòu: A small, usually round piece sewn onto clothing and passed through a buttonhole to close it.
拉链lā liàn: A fastener made of interlocking teeth that opens and closes when its slider moves.

Definition in Chinese

缝在衣物上，通过穿过扣眼、套上带子或按扣等方式将两片布料或衣襟固定在一起的小型附件。fèng zài yī wù shàng tōng guò chuān guò kòu yǎn tào shàng dài zi huò àn kòu děng fāng shì jiāng liǎng piàn bù liào huò yī jīn gù dìng zài yì qǐ de xiǎo xíng fù jiàn

Word origin

扣 (kòu, "fasten") + 子 (zi, "noun-forming suffix") forms the name of a small object used to fasten clothing.

Usage tips

  • The second syllable is normally light in everyday speech, so kòuzi does not give equal stress to both syllables.

Other meanings

  • fastenernoun
  • snapnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 扣上kòu shàngbutton upverb
  • 扣紧kòu jǐnfasten tightlyverb

Word lists with this word