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暖流 (nuǎn liú) — (noun) warm current (in oceanography); (noun) a warm feeling, a surge of warmth (emotional)

Definition

Literally 'warm current,' with two senses: an oceanographic warm current (vs 寒流 cold current) and a figurative 'surge of warmth' in the heart from something touching.

noun
warm current (in oceanography)a warm feelinga surge of warmth (emotional)
Measure word · 股

Examples

  • 暖流。
    Rì běn nuǎn liú shǐ zhè yí dài dōng tiān bǐ jiào nuǎn huo.
    The Japan Warm Current makes winters in this area relatively mild.
  • ，暖流。
    Tīng dào tā de huà, wǒ xīn lǐ yǒng qǐ yì gǔ nuǎn liú.
    Hearing her words, a warm current surged in my heart.
  • ，暖流。
    Hán liú guò hòu, nuǎn liú kāi shǐ yǐng xiǎng yán hǎi dì qū.
    After the cold current passed, the warm current began to affect the coastal areas.

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.

暖nuǎnwarm
流liúcurrent

“暖” (warm) gives “流” (current) its temperature, naming a warm current.

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
日日rìsun
Sound part声符shēngfú
爰
爰yuán暖nuǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

暖 is made from 日, the sun, and 爰, which is used for its sound.

Open 暖 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㐬
㐬㐬流liú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

流 has 水, water, and 㐬, which gives the sound. The water part matches meanings such as flow.

Open 流 →
Appears in
Emotions & FeelingsGeography & Landforms

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