前兆 (qián zhào) — omen, sign, indication (of something to come)

Definition

noun

omensignindication (of something to come)

前兆。
Dì zhèn de qián zhào shì dòng wù xíng wéi yì cháng.
The precursor to an earthquake is abnormal animal behavior.
前兆。
Tóu tòng kě néng shì gǎn mào de qián zhào.
A headache might be a sign of a cold.
前兆。
Zhè xiē jīng jì shù jù shì jīng jì fù sū de qián zhào.
These economic data are signs of economic recovery.

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.

前 means before and 兆 means sign, so together they denote a sign of something to come.

Characters in this word

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

In the older form of 前, 止 (foot) and 舟 (boat) showed a foot on a boat moving forward; in the current 前 those parts are shortened.

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

The form 兆 shows two 人 (person) parts on either side of a 水 (water) part: two people fleeing with their backs to a flood.

Appears in