交响 (jiāo xiǎng) — (noun) symphony; (adjective) symphonic

Definition

noun
symphony
adjective
symphonic
Measure word · 部

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè chǎng jiāo xiǎng yīn yuè huì tài jīng cǎi le.
    This symphony concert was too wonderful.
  • 《》。
    Wǒ zuì xǐ huan de jiāo xiǎng qǔ shì bèi duō fēn de 《mìng yùn》.
    My favorite symphony is Beethoven's "Fate".
  • 。
    Tā zhǐ huī le yí gè zhù míng de jiāo xiǎng yuè tuán.
    He conducted a famous symphony orchestra.

Origin

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.

交jiāointerweaving
响xiǎngsound

交响 joins 交 (interweaving) and 响 (sound) to suggest sounds woven together.

Characters in this word

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

交 originally drew a human with crossed legs. In the modern shape, the upper part resembles a standing person.

Open 交 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 響; 响 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
音音yīnsound
Sound part声符shēngfú
鄉
鄉xiāng響xiǎng
Same sound today

The traditional form 響 pairs 音, meaning sound, with 鄉 to give its pronunciation. The simplified 响 is a later shorthand, so its visible parts are not the historical parts.

Open 响 →

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