小马 (xiǎo mǎ) — pony, colt, foal (a young or small horse)

Definition

noun

ponycoltfoal (a young or small horse)

Measure word · 匹

小马。
Hái zi men zài nóng chǎng lǐ kàn dào le jǐ zhī xiǎo mǎ.
The children saw several ponies at the farm.
小马，。
Zhè pǐ xiǎo mǎ hěn wēn shùn, shì hé xiǎo péng yǒu qí.
This pony is very gentle, suitable for children to ride.
小马，。
xiǎo mǎ Zài cǎo yuán shàng pǎo lái pǎo qù, fēi cháng kě ài.
The small horse ran around on the grassland, very cute.

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.

小 means small and 马 means horse, so 小马 is a small horse or pony.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 小 comes from three small dots, later elongated into its strokes; the apparent parts 八 and 丨 are a later way of seeing it.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 馬; 马 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 馬 shows a horse with its head facing left, a flowing mane, and two legs standing vertically.

Appears in