天鹅 (tiān é) — swan | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Swan — a large, usually white water bird with a long neck. 鹅 (goose) is a related but smaller, sturdier farm bird; 天鹅 is the wild, graceful one.

noun

swan

Measure word · 只

天鹅。
tiān é Zài hú shàng yōu yǎ dì yóu zhe.
The swan swims gracefully on the lake.
天鹅。
Dōng tiān hěn duō tiān é fēi dào nán fāng guò dōng.
In winter, many swans fly south to spend the winter.
天鹅。
Tā xǐ huan guān chá tiān é de yì jǔ yí dòng.
She likes to observe every move of the swans.

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.

天 and 鹅 combine as a heavenly goose, naming the swan.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

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

The shape comes from a frontal standing man 大 with a head; 天 pairs 大 with 丁 for sound.

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 鵝; 鹅 is its simplified writing.

我鳥鵝

Meaning part形符xíngfú

鳥鳥niǎo

Sound part声符shēngfú

我

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

In the traditional form 鵝, 鳥 shows it is a bird and 我 gives the sound; the simplified 鹅 is a later shorthand, not the historical shape.

Appears in