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印痕 (yìn hén) — mark; trace; impression; imprint

Definition

Literary term for a physical mark or lasting impression left on a surface or in memory — more concrete and physical than the abstract 印象 ('impression' as a perception).

noun
marktraceimpressionimprint
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 印痕。
    Qiáng shàng yǒu yí gè shēn shēn de yìn hén.
    There is a deep mark on the wall.
  • 印痕。
    Zhè jiàn shì zài tā xīn lǐ liú xià le yǒng yuǎn de yìn hén.
    This matter left a permanent impression in his heart.
  • 印痕。
    Kǎo gǔ xué jiā fā xiàn le gǔ dài wén míng de yìn hén.
    Archaeologists discovered traces of ancient civilization.

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.

印yìnimpression
痕hénmark

印 points to an impression or print, and 痕 points to a mark, together yielding a printed mark.

Characters in this word

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

  • 爪爪zhuǎhand
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

印 pairs 爪 (hand) with 卩 (kneeling person), showing a hand pressing down on a kneeling person.

Open 印 →

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
疒疒nè
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn痕hén
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

痕 pairs 疒 with 艮: 疒 gives the sense, and 艮 gives the sound.

Open 痕 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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