五弦琴 (wǔ xián qín) — banjo | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

banjo

Measure word · 把

五弦琴。
Tā tán wǔ xián qín de yàng zi hěn zhuān yè.
He looks very professional when he plays the banjo.
五弦琴。
Zhè bǎ wǔ xián qín shì yé ye liú gěi wǒ de.
This banjo was left to me by my grandfather.
五弦琴。
Tā zài yuè duì lǐ fù zé yǎn zòu wǔ xián qín.
She is responsible for playing the banjo in the band.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

五弦five strings

偏正Modifier + head

琴qíninstrument

五弦 states the number of strings, and 琴 is the instrument, giving a five-stringed instrument.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

An older form had a crossed mark between a top bar and a bottom bar. The modern 五 keeps those bars, while the original idea is uncertain.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

弓玄弦

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

玄

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

弦 uses 弓 (bow) to show what it is about and 玄 to show how it is pronounced.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

珡珡qín

Sound part声符shēngfú

今

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

琴 pairs 珡, the part tied to its sense as a stringed instrument, with 今, which gives the sound.