婚纱照 (hūn shā zhào) — wedding photos (formal pre-wedding photography, often displayed at the ceremony)

Definition

A compound noun for the formal pre-wedding photo shoot, distinct from the wedding day itself. The photographs are typically taken in advance, often in scenic locations, and displayed at the ceremony or in the home.

noun
wedding photos (formal pre-wedding photography, often displayed at the ceremony)
Measure word · 组

Examples

  • 婚纱照。
    Tā men qù hǎi biān pāi le yì zǔ hūn shā zhào.
    They went to the seaside to take a set of wedding photos.
  • 婚纱照。
    hūn shā zhào Tōng cháng yào tí qián jǐ gè yuè yù yuē.
    Wedding photos usually need to be booked several months in advance.
  • 婚纱照。
    Tā de hūn shā zhào guà zài kè tīng zuì xiǎn yǎn de wèi zhì.
    Her wedding photos are hung in the most prominent spot in the living room.

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.

婚纱wedding dress
婚hūnmarriage纱shāgauze
偏正Modifier + head
照zhàophoto

婚 (marriage) + 纱 (gauze) form 婚纱 (wedding dress), which then combines with 照 (photo) to mean wedding photographs.

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
女女nǚ
Sound part声符shēngfú
昏
昏hūn婚hūn
Same sound today

婚 uses 女 (woman) for the meaning and 昏 for the sound hūn.

Open 婚 →

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 紗; 纱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
沙
沙shā紗shā
Same sound today

The traditional form 紗 uses 糸 to mark a thread-related meaning and 沙 for the sound. The modern simplified 纱 is a shortened form.

Open 纱 →

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
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
昭
昭zhāo照zhào
Same sound today

照 uses 灬, a bottom form of 火 (fire), plus 昭 for the sound.

Open 照 →

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