密苏里州 (Mì sū lǐ zhōu) — Missouri (US state)

Definition

noun
Missouri (US state)

Examples

  • 密苏里州。
    Wǒ cóng lái méi yǒu qù guò Mì sū lǐ zhōu.
    I have never been to Missouri.
  • 密苏里州。
    Mì sū lǐ zhōu Wèi yú měi guó de zhōng bù dì qū.
    Missouri is located in the central region of the United States.
  • 密苏里州。
    Mì sū lǐ hé shì Mì sū lǐ zhōu de yì tiáo zhòng yào hé liú.
    The Missouri River is an important river in the state of Missouri.

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.

密苏里Missouri
密mì苏sū里lǐ
州zhōustate

密苏里 spells Missouri and 州 means state; together they name the state of Missouri.

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
山山shānmountain
Sound part声符shēngfú
宓
宓mì密mì
Same sound today

密 pairs 山 (mountain) with 宓 (mì), which gives the pronunciation, to picture something hidden in the mountains, hence secret.

Open 密 →

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 蘇; 苏 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 苏 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 蘇; in others it is 甦 or 囌.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
穌
穌sū蘇Sū
Same sound today

The traditional form 蘇 uses 艸 (grass; plant) for meaning and 穌 for sound; the simplified 苏 is a later shorthand.

Open 苏 →

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 裡; 里 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 里 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (里, 里面) it is 裡; in others (公里) it is 里 or 裏.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衤Written in full as衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ裡lǐ
Same sound today

The form 裡 pairs 衤 (clothes) with 里 as a sound component.

Open 里 →

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

州 originally drew an islet in a river.

Open 州 →

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