Meaning
折 is a versatile character with multiple related meanings centered around bending, breaking, or turning. As a verb, it means to fold paper, break something, or turn direction. As a noun, it refers to a discount in commerce. The core semantic element involves something changing direction or being divided.
Usage
This character has multiple pronunciations (zhé, shé, zhē) with different meanings. 'zhé' is most common, used for折扣 (discount), 折断 (to snap/break), and 转折 (turning point). In retail contexts, Chinese speakers say '打折' for 'on sale' or '八折' meaning '20% off' (literally 'eight-tenths price'). The pronunciation 'shē' appears in 折腾 (to toss about), while 'zhē' is rare and dialectal.
Examples
- 01这家商店所有商品都打八折。.All items in this store are 20% off.
- 02树枝被风折断了。.The branch was broken by the wind.
Common collocations
- 打折扣to give a discount
- 九折10% off (90% of original price)
- 折磨to torment
- 转折点turning point
Antonyms
Origin
The character combines 扌(hand radical) and 斤 (axe), originally depicting the action of breaking or cutting something with a tool held in the hand.