榴弹炮 (liú dàn pào) — howitzer

Definition

noun
howitzer
Measure word · 门

Examples

  • 榴弹炮。
    Zhè zhǒng liú dàn pào de shè chéng hěn yuǎn.
    This type of howitzer has a very long range.
  • ，榴弹炮。
    Zài èr zhàn qī jiān, liú dàn pào bèi guǎng fàn shǐ yòng.
    During World War II, howitzers were widely used.
  • 榴弹炮。
    Bó wù guǎn lǐ chén liè zhe yì mén gǔ lǎo de liú dàn pào.
    An ancient howitzer is displayed in the museum.

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.

榴弹explosive shell
榴liúpomegranate弹tánshell
偏正Modifier + head
炮pàogun

榴 suggests pomegranate-like fragments, 弹 is the shell, and 炮 is the gun that fires it.

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
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
留
留liú榴liú
Same sound today

The left side 木 marks a tree, while the right side 留 gives the character its sound.

Open 榴 →

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 彈; 弹 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōng
Sound part声符shēngfú
單
單dān彈tán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 彈 pairs 弓 (bow) with the sound part 單; the simplified 弹 is a shorthand.

Open 弹 →

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
火火huǒ
Sound part声符shēngfú
包
包bāo炮pào
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

炮 combines 火 and 包; 包 supplies the sound.

Open 炮 →

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