俄亥俄 (E hài é) — Ohio (U.S. state)

Definition

noun
Ohio (U.S. state)

Examples

  • 俄亥俄。
    E hài é Shì měi guó de yí gè zhōu.
    Ohio is a state of the United States.
  • 俄亥俄。
    Wǒ qù guò E hài é de shǒu fǔ.
    I have visited the capital of Ohio.
  • 俄亥俄。
    E hài é De qiū tiān hěn měi.
    Autumn in Ohio is very beautiful.

Origin

Single-morpheme word
构词法gòucífǎ
音译yīnyìTransliteration

The characters spell the sound of a foreign word; their individual meanings play no part.

俄é
亥hài
俄é

俄亥俄 spells Ohio; the repeated 俄 is only a sound symbol here.

Sound-only characters

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

俄 pairs 亻 (person) with 我, which gives the sound.

Open 俄 →

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

The picture behind 亥 is uncertain: it may show plant roots underground, or it may show an animal.

Open 亥 →

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

俄 pairs 亻 (person) with 我, which gives the sound.

Open 俄 →

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