Meaning
角 is a versatile character with multiple meanings. Its primary senses include 'corner' (of a room, building, or object), 'angle' (in geometry), 'horn' (of an animal), and 'jiao' (a unit of Chinese currency worth one-tenth of a yuan). The meaning is usually clear from context.
Usage
As a noun, 角 commonly appears in compounds like 角落 (corner/nook) and 三角形 (triangle). When referring to currency, it's pronounced 'jiǎo' in standard Mandarin but colloquially called 'máo' in everyday speech. In geometry or角度-related contexts, it means 'angle.' The 'horn' meaning is less common in modern daily conversation but appears in expressions like 牛角 (ox horn).
Examples
- 01那本书在房间的角落里。.That book is in the corner of the room.
- 02这个东西三块五角钱。.This thing costs three yuan and fifty fen (3.5 yuan).
Measure words
- 个一个角落
Common collocations
- 角落里in the corner
- 直角right angle
- 从...角度...from the perspective of...
- 五角five jiao (0.5 yuan)
Origin
The character 角 is a pictograph originally depicting an animal's horn. This concrete meaning extended metaphorically to 'corner' and 'angle' due to the pointed, protruding shape of horns.