圆点 (yuán diǎn) — dot; round dot | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

dotround dot

Measure word · 个

圆点。
Qǐng zài zhè zhāng zhǐ shàng huà yí gè yuán diǎn.
Please draw a dot on this piece of paper.
圆点。
Tā de qún zi shì bái sè dài hóng sè yuán diǎn de.
Her skirt is white with red dots.
圆点？
Měi gè jù zi hòu miàn dōu yào jiā yí gè yuán diǎn ma?
Should I add a dot after every sentence?

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.

圆 means round and 点 means dot, so the word denotes a round dot.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 圓; 圆 is its simplified writing.

囗員圓

Meaning part形符xíngfú

囗囗wéi

Sound part声符shēngfú

員

員yuán圓yuán

Same sound today

This is about the traditional form 圓, not the simplified 圆. In 圓, 囗 surrounds 員, and the inner part of 員 is an old circle picture.

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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

黑占點

Meaning part形符xíngfú

黑黑hēiblack

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn點diǎn(r)

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

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

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