他国 (tā guó) — another country; other countries (formal, written)

Definition

Literary/written term for 'another country / other countries' — used in formal text like policy, news, and law. Plain speech usually says 别的国家.

noun
another countryother countries (formal, written)

Examples

  • 他国。
    Zhèng fǔ yīng dāng zūn zhòng tā guó de zhǔ quán.
    The government should respect the sovereignty of other countries.
  • 他国。
    Zhè xiē zhèng cè duì tā guó chǎn shēng le hěn dà yǐng xiǎng.
    These policies have had a significant impact on other countries.
  • 他国，。
    Tā cháng qī zài tā guó gōng zuò, hěn shǎo huí jiā.
    He has worked in another country for a long time and rarely returns home.

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.

他tāother
国guócountry

“他” (other) and “国” (country) combine as another country.

Characters in this word

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
亻Written in full as人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě他tā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

他 combines 亻 (a person) with 也, which was chosen for its sound.

Open 他 →

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 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéiclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò國guó
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Open 国 →

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