Meaning
器 originally referred to ritual vessels or containers, but has expanded to mean any kind of tool, implement, or device. It's rarely used alone in modern Chinese, but appears as a component in many compound words referring to equipment, instruments, organs, and utensils.
Usage
In contemporary usage, 器 almost always appears in compound words rather than standing alone. It commonly forms nouns for equipment (电器 electrical appliances), instruments (乐器 musical instruments), organs (器官), and weapons (武器). When referring to a person's capacity or caliber, 器 appears in expressions like 大器 (great talent).
Examples
- 01这家医院有很多先进的医疗器械。.This hospital has a lot of advanced medical equipment.
- 02他从小就学习各种乐器。.He has been learning various musical instruments since childhood.
Measure words
- 件一件器具
- 个一个容器
Common collocations
- 武器weapon
- 电器electrical appliance
- 乐器musical instrument
- 器官organ (body)
Origin
The oracle bone script form of 器 depicted four mouths (口) arranged around a ritual vessel, representing a sacred container. Over time it came to represent all kinds of implements and devices.