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发源 (fā yuán) — to originate, to have its source in

Definition

发源 (fāyuán) means 'to originate' — typically of natural or cultural phenomena like rivers, traditions, or ideas. It is transitive and takes 于/自, unlike 起源 which can also serve as a noun ('the origin').

verb
to originateto have its source in

Examples

  • 发源。
    Zhè tiáo hé liú fā yuán yú gāo shān de bīng xuě róng shuǐ.
    This river originates from the meltwater of high mountain snow and ice.
  • 发源。
    Xǔ duō chuán tǒng jié rì fā yuán zì gǔ shí de nóng gēng huó dòng.
    Many traditional festivals originate from ancient farming activities.
  • 发源。
    Tā de chuàng xīn líng gǎn fā yuán yú duì rì cháng shēng huó de xì zhì guān chá.
    His innovative inspiration originates from careful observation of everyday life.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

发fāissue
源yuánsource

“发” means to issue or originate, and “源” means source, together meaning to have its source.

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
原
原yuán源yuán
Same sound today

源 combines 水 (water) and 原 (origin): 水 points to water, and 原 gives the sound.

Open 源 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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