仰泳 (yǎng yǒng) — backstroke (swimming)

Definition

noun

backstroke (swimming)

Measure word · 种

仰泳，。
Wǒ huì yóu yǎng yǒng, dàn bú tài shú liàn.
I can swim backstroke, but I'm not very good at it.
仰泳。
yǎng yǒng Shì yì zhǒng hěn qīng sōng de yǒng zī.
Backstroke is a very relaxing swimming stroke.
仰泳。
Jiào liàn jiào wǒ men zěn me zài yǎng yǒng zhōng bǎo chí hū xī.
The coach taught us how to breathe during backstroke.

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.

仰yǎngface upward

仰 shows the face-up posture, and 泳 is swimming.

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.

亻卬仰

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

卬

卬áng仰yǎng

Same sound today

In 仰, the left part 亻 represents a person, and the right part 卬 gives the sound.

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

氵永泳

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐ

Sound part声符shēngfú

永

Same sound today

泳 pairs 氵 (water) with 永, which gives the sound. The water part fits the meaning of swimming.