折叠

• Pinyin: zhé dié
• Hanzi breakdown: 折 = 扌+ 斤 (to fold); 叠 = 宜 + 冖 + 又 (to stack/pile)

Meaning

To fold; to fold up. The action of bending something flat onto itself.

Used for folding paper, clothes, furniture, or devices. Common in product descriptions: 折叠桌 (folding table), 折叠椅 (folding chair), 折叠屏 (foldable screen). Implies something can be made more compact.

Examples

1. 这款折叠自行车非常便携，可以轻松放入汽车后备箱。 This folding bike is very portable and can easily fit into a car trunk.
2. 她仔细地折叠好衣服，整齐地放入行李箱。 She carefully folded her clothes and neatly packed them into her suitcase.
3. 最新款的智能手机配备了可折叠屏幕。 The latest smartphone comes with a foldable screen.

Usage Guide

Context: products, household, technology

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这张沙发床可以折叠起来节省空间。(This sofa bed can be folded up to save space.)
• 请将地图沿着原有折痕折叠好。(Please fold the map along the existing creases.)

Don't Say

• 折叠破 — 折叠 implies careful folding; use 折断 for breaking by folding

Origin & History

折 (to fold/bend) + 叠 (to pile/stack)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal