凯乐 (kǎi lè) — kale (the leafy green vegetable)

Definition

Transliteration of English 'kale,' the leafy green vegetable. No siblings to contrast — just a borrowed food name used on packaging and in recipes.

noun

kale (the leafy green vegetable)

Measure word · 棵

凯乐。
Zhè zhǒng kǎi lè shā lā fēi cháng jiàn kāng.
This kind of kale salad is very healthy.
凯乐。
Wǒ zài chāo shì mǎi le yì xiē xīn kǎi lè.
I bought some fresh kale at the supermarket.
凯乐。
kǎi lè Hán yǒu fēng fù de wéi shēng sù.
Kale is rich in vitamins.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 凱; 凯 is its simplified writing.

豈几凱

Meaning part形符xíngfú

豈豈qǐdrum

Sound part声符shēngfú

几

几jǐ凱kǎi

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

The traditional form 凱 may have been built from 豈, a drum, and 几 to give the sound; the simplified 凯 is a later abbreviation.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 樂; 乐 is its simplified writing.

In the traditional form 樂, 絲 (string) with 木 (wood) shows strings on a piece of wood, a musical instrument; the simplified 乐 is a later shorthand.