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发展中国家 (fā zhǎn zhōng guó jiā) — developing country

Definition

noun
developing country
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 发展中国家。
    Hěn duō fā zhǎn zhōng guó jiā zhèng zài kuài sù fā zhǎn.
    Many developing countries are developing rapidly.
  • 发展中国家。
    fā zhǎn zhōng guó jiā Hé fā dá guó jiā zhī jiān de chā jù zhèng zài suō xiǎo.
    The gap between developing countries and developed countries is narrowing.
  • 发展中国家。
    Zhè ge zǔ zhī wèi fā zhǎn zhōng guó jiā tí gōng le dà liàng yuán zhù.
    This organization has provided a large amount of aid to developing countries.

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.

发展中developing
发fāsend out展zhǎnspread中zhōngin process
联合Coordinate
国家country
国guóstate家jiāhome
联合Coordinate

发展中 uses 发 and 展 for develop plus 中 for ongoing to describe 国家, built from 国 and 家, as a country still developing.

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 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →

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
尸尸shī
Sound part声符shēngfú
𧝑
𧝑𧝑展zhǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

展 is built from 尸 and 𧝑. The 𧝑 part points to fine red silk clothes and also contains the idea of opening or extending.

Open 展 →

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

The original picture showed a flagpole with a drum in the middle, set up in the center of a field.

Open 中 →

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 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéiclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò國guó
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Open 国 →

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

The early drawing of 家 showed a roof 宀 over a male-pig sign 𢑓 that gave the pronunciation; the lower part later changed shape.

Open 家 →
Appears in
Economy & TradeGovernment & Politics

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