大梁 (Dà liáng) — (in traditional Chinese astronomy) the 5th Stellar Lodge (cì), covering Lunar Mansions 17–19 (Stomach, Hairy Head, Net)

Definition

Dàliáng (Dà Liáng) is the 5th of the twelve ancient Chinese Stellar Lodges (十二次), a band of sky containing Lunar Mansions 17–19 (Stomach, Hairy Head, Net). Pronounced as one unit — the capital D signals the proper-name reading.

noun
(in traditional Chinese astronomy) the 5th Stellar Lodge (cì)covering Lunar Mansions 17–19 (Stomach, Hairy Head, Net)
Measure word · 根

Examples

  • ，大梁。
    Zài gǔ dài tiān wén xué zhōng, Dà liáng shì shí èr cì zhī yī.
    In ancient astronomy, Dà Liáng is one of the twelve Stellar Lodges.
  • 大梁、、。
    Dà liáng Bāo hán wèi, mǎo, bì sān gè xīng zuò.
    Dà Liáng includes the three constellations Stomach, Hairy Head, and Net.
  • 大梁。
    Tiān wén xué jiā tōng guò guān cè Dà liáng lái yù cè jì jié biàn huà.
    Astronomers observed Dà Liáng to predict seasonal changes.

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.

大dàgreat
梁liángbeam

大梁, 'Great Beam', names the fifth stellar lodge, the sky region covering Stomach, Hairy Head, and Net.

Characters in this word

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

The form 大 is a picture of a person standing and facing forward, not of someone stretching their arms.

Open 大 →

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
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
刅
刅chuāng梁Liáng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

梁 pairs 水 (water) and 木 (wood) to show a bridge, with 刅 giving the sound.

Open 梁 →

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