喜马拉雅山脉 (Xǐ mǎ lā yǎ shān mài) — Himalayas (mountain range in Asia)

Definition

noun
Himalayas (mountain range in Asia)
Measure word · 座

Examples

  • 喜马拉雅山脉。
    Xǐ mǎ lā yǎ shān mài Shì shì jiè shàng hǎi bá zuì gāo de shān mài.
    The Himalayas are the highest mountain range in the world.
  • 喜马拉雅山脉。
    Měi nián dōu yǒu hěn duō dēng shān zhě lái Xǐ mǎ lā yǎ shān mài tiǎo zhàn zì jǐ.
    Every year many climbers come to the Himalayas to challenge themselves.
  • 喜马拉雅山脉，。
    Xǐ mǎ lā yǎ shān mài De zì rán fēng guāng fēi cháng zhuàng lì, xī yǐn le wú shù yóu kè.
    The natural scenery of the Himalayas is magnificent, attracting countless tourists.

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.

喜马拉雅Himalaya
喜xǐ马mǎ拉lā雅yǎ
山脉mountain range
山shānmountain脉màiridge
偏正Modifier + head

喜马拉雅 spells Himalaya, and 山脉 means mountain range.

Characters in this word

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

喜 combines 壴, a drum, with 口, a mouth.

Open 喜 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 馬; 马 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 馬 shows a horse with its head facing left, a flowing mane, and two legs standing vertically.

Open 马 →

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
立
立lì拉lā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拉 pairs 手 (hand) with 立, a component that supplies the sound.

Open 拉 →

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
隹隹zhuīa short-tailed bird
Sound part声符shēngfú
牙
牙yá雅yǎ
Same sound today

雅 pairs 隹, a short-tailed bird, with 牙 as its sound part; the bird was a rook/crow, and the sense was extended to refined.

Open 雅 →

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

山 shows three mountain peaks side by side.

Open 山 →

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 脈; 脉 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròuflesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂢
𠂢𠂢脈mài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 脈 pairs ⺼ (flesh) with a sound part, 𠂢; the simplified 脉 is a shorthand, so its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 脉 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.