TongTong
Sign in

德语 (Dé yǔ) — German (language)

Definition

noun
German (language)

Examples

  • 德语。
    Wǒ zài dà xué xué Dé yǔ.
    I study German at university.
  • 德语。
    Tā kě yǐ shuō liú lì de Dé yǔ.
    She can speak fluent German.
  • 德语。
    Zhè běn Dé yǔ shū hěn yǒu yì si.
    This German book is very interesting.

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.

德déGerman
语yǔlanguage

德语 names the 语 associated with 德, the German country or people.

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
彳彳chìroad
Sound part声符shēngfú
惪
惪dé德dé
Same sound today

德 combines 彳, a road, with 惪, a component meaning virtue that also supplies the sound.

Open 德 →

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 語; 语 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
吾
吾wú語yǔ
Same sound today

The form 語 pairs 言 (speech) with 吾, which gives the sound; this note is about 語, not 语.

Open 语 →
Appears in
Language

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.