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可兰经 (Kě lán jīng) — the Koran (Quran)

Definition

noun
the Koran (Quran)

Examples

  • 可兰经。
    Tā měi tiān dōu dú Kě lán jīng.
    He reads the Koran every day.
  • 可兰经。
    Zhè běn Kě lán jīng shì ā lā bó yǔ de.
    This copy of the Koran is in Arabic.
  • 可兰经？
    Nǐ dú guò Kě lán jīng ma?
    Have you read the Koran?

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.

可兰Koran
可kě兰lán
音译Transliteration
经jīngscripture

可兰 transliterates the name, and 经 means scripture, together naming the Koran.

Characters in this word

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

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 蘭; 兰 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎoplant
Sound part声符shēngfú
闌
闌lán蘭lán
Same sound today

In the traditional form 蘭, 艹 marks it as a plant and 闌 stands for the sound; the simplified 兰 is a later shorthand, not the original parts.

Open 兰 →

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 經; 经 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìsilk; thread
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng經jīng
Same sound today

The traditional form 經 combines 糹 (silk; thread) with 巠, which gives the sound.

Open 经 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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