代称 (dài chèn) — alternate name; metonym

Definition

A literary/rhetorical term for a word or phrase that stands in for something via association (e.g. 江山 for 'country'). It's a specialized term — usually encountered as 文化 or 文学 vocabulary, not everyday speech.

noun
alternate namemetonym

Examples

  • “”“”代称。
    "Jiāng shān" shì "guó jiā" de wén xué dài chèn.
    "Rivers and mountains" is a literary metonym for "country".
  • “”代称。
    "Huā jiān" zài gǔ diǎn shī cí zhōng cháng zuò wéi nǚ xìng de dài chèn.
    "Among the flowers" often serves as an alternate name for women in classical poetry.
  • 代称。
    Tā men gěi zhè zuò chéng qǐ le yí gè xīn de dài chèn.
    They gave this city a new alternate name.

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.

代dàisubstitute
称chēngname

代 (substitute) describes the kind of 称 (name), an alternate name.

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rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì代dài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 代, 亻 shows a person, and 弋 gives the sound.

Open 代 →

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 稱; 称 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hérice
Sound part声符shēngfú
爯
爯chēng稱chēng
Same sound today

The traditional form 稱 pairs 禾 (rice) with 爯, a part giving the sound; it is explained as measuring rice. The simplified 称 is a later shorthand.

Open 称 →

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