单字 (dān zì) — individual Chinese character (as opposed to a polysyllabic word); separate word (in a foreign language)

Definition

A linguistics term for one single Chinese character taken on its own, in contrast to a 多音节词. In foreign-language contexts it also means a separate vocabulary item.

noun
individual Chinese character (as opposed to a polysyllabic word)separate word (in a foreign language)

Examples

  • 单字。
    Zhè ge dān zì de bǐ huà hěn duō.
    This individual character has many strokes.
  • 单字。
    Xué xí yīng yǔ shí yào jì zhù měi gè dān zì de yì si.
    When learning English, you need to remember the meaning of each separate word.
  • 单字。
    Tā shàn cháng jì yì dà liàng de dān zì.
    He is good at memorizing a large number of individual characters/words.

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.

单dānsingle
字zìcharacter

单字 is a 字 standing 单 by itself, not as part of a larger expression.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 單; 单 is its simplified writing.

The form 單 originally pictured a Y-shaped wooden stick with two stones on top.

Open 单 →

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
子
子zǐ字zì
Same sound today

字 pairs 宀 (roof) with 子 (child); 子 gives the sound, while 宀 relates to the meaning.

Open 字 →

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