柠檬茶 (níng méng chá) — lemon tea

Definition

noun
lemon tea
Measure word · 杯

Examples

  • ，柠檬茶。
    Xià tiān de shí hou, wǒ tè bié xǐ huan hē bīng níng méng chá.
    I especially like drinking iced lemon tea in summer.
  • 柠檬茶。
    Zhè jiā diàn de níng méng chá wèi dào hěn hǎo.
    The lemon tea at this shop tastes great.
  • 柠檬茶，。
    Yì bēi níng méng chá jiā táng, xiè xie.
    One lemon tea with sugar, thank you.

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.

柠檬
柠níng檬méng
茶chátea

柠檬 names the lemon flavor, and 茶 is the tea base.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 檸; 柠 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
寧
寧níng檸
Same sound today

The traditional form 檸 combines 木 (wood) with 寧, which supplies the sound; the simplified 柠 is a later shortened shape.

Open 柠 →

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
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
蒙
蒙méng檬
Same sound today

檬 pairs 木, a tree, with 蒙 for its sound.

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
余
余yú茶chá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 茶, the 艹 part marks a plant, and the 余 part gives the sound.

Open 茶 →

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