noun / measure word HSK 3
Traditional 節
festival · holiday · section · segment · joint · knot · measure word for sections/classes
Meaning
节 is a versatile character that originally depicted bamboo joints. It refers to divisions, sections, or joints in physical objects, and by extension to divisions of time like festivals and holidays. As a measure word, it counts classes, train cars, or sections of things.
Usage
Commonly appears in compound words for festivals (春节, 中秋节) and as a measure word for academic classes (一节课). When referring to festivals, it's almost always part of a two-character compound. Native speakers use it to count sections, segments, or units of time like class periods.
Examples
- 01今天我们有三节英语课。.Today we have three English classes.
- 02中国人最重要的节日是春节。.The most important holiday for Chinese people is Spring Festival.
Measure words
- 个一个节日
Common collocations
- 过节to celebrate a festival
- 节日festival, holiday
- 一节课one class period
- 节目program, show
Origin
The traditional form 節 shows bamboo (竹) on top, representing the natural joints or nodes found in bamboo stems, which served as a metaphor for divisions and sections.