宁波 (Níng bō) — Ningbo (city in Zhejiang, China)

Definition

noun
Ningbo (city in Zhejiang, China)

Examples

  • 宁波。
    Wǒ míng nián xiǎng qù Níng bō lǚ yóu.
    I want to travel to Ningbo next year.
  • 宁波。
    Níng bō De gǎng kǒu fēi cháng fán máng.
    Ningbo's port is very busy.
  • 宁波。
    Tā zài Níng bō zhù le shí nián.
    He lived in Ningbo for ten years.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 寧; 宁 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 皿皿mǐnfood or wine vessel
  • 丂丂kǎotable (?)
Open 宁 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
皮
皮pí波bō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 氵 is water, and the right side 皮 gives the sound.

Open 波 →

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