恐龙蛋 (kǒng lóng dàn) — dinosaur egg

Definition

noun

dinosaur egg

Measure word · 个

恐龙蛋。
Wǒ zài bó wù guǎn kàn dào le kǒng lóng dàn huà shí.
I saw a dinosaur egg fossil at the museum.
恐龙蛋。
Kē xué jiā fā xiàn le yì méi kǒng lóng dàn.
Scientists discovered a dinosaur egg.
恐龙蛋。
Zhè méi kǒng lóng dàn yǒu liù qiān wàn nián de lì shǐ.
This dinosaur egg is 60 million years old.

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.

恐龙dinosaur

偏正Modifier + head

恐龙 gives the kind of egg, and 蛋 is the egg itself.

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

心心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

𢀜

𢀜𢀜恐kǒng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

恐 is written with 心 (heart). The older form pairs 心 with 𢀜; the modern form can be read as 巩 above 心.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 龍; 龙 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 龍 originally drew a sacred creature with a large mouth and a snake-like body; the simplified 龙 is the form written here.

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

虫虫chóngsnake, insect

Sound part声符shēngfú

延

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 蛋, the lower part 虫 is a snake or insect, and the upper part is a shortened 延 giving the sound for 'egg'.