仙波 (xiān bō) — angels | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Rare term for a gentle, rippling wave; also used in place names. Not the common word for waves (which is 波浪).

noun

angels

Measure word · 个

仙波。
Wǒ cóng lái méi yǒu tīng shuō guò xiān bō zhè ge cí.
I have never heard of the word 仙波.
仙波，。
Zhè ge dì míng jiào zuò xiān bō, tīng qǐ lái hěn měi.
This place is called 仙波; it sounds beautiful.
仙波？
Qǐng wèn xiān bō shì shén me yì si?
Excuse me, what does 仙波 mean?

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

亻山仙

仙 pairs 亻 (person) with 山 (mountain), showing a person moving into a mountain to become immortal; 山 also gives the sound.

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

氵皮波

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

皮

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

The left side 氵 is water, and the right side 皮 gives the sound.