胶 jiāo glue
glue; gum; resin; rubber; sticky
How to remember 胶: 月 meat + 交 hand over = glue. The old violin maker boils bones and meat scraps for hours, and customers happily hand over cash for every sticky jar of his glue.
Component breakdown
胶 = 月 meat + 交 hand over
- 月 meat
- 交 hand over
- 亠 lid
- 父 father
The old violin maker boils bones and meat scraps for hours, and customers happily hand over cash for every sticky jar of his glue.
How it is used
- Glue/rubber/gel - 胶水 (jiāoshuǐ) liquid glue, 胶带 (jiāodài) adhesive tape.
- 橡胶 (xiàngjiāo) = rubber; 塑胶 = plastic.
- 胶囊 (jiāonáng) = a capsule (medicine); 口香糖 uses the gum sense.
- Sticky/gluey figurative: 胶着 (jiāozhuó) = deadlocked/at a stalemate (胶着状态).