水晶宫 (Shuǐ jīng gōng) — (mythology) Crystal Palace, the underwater palace of the Dragon King in Chinese folklore

Definition

In Chinese folklore, 水晶宫 is the glittering underwater palace where the Dragon King (龙王) rules the sea. Used literally for crystal palaces in legends and metaphorically for dazzling glass buildings.

noun
(mythology) Crystal Palace, the underwater palace of the Dragon King in Chinese folklore
Measure word · 座

Examples

  • ，水晶宫。
    Chuán shuō zhōng, lóng wáng zhù zài hǎi dǐ de Shuǐ jīng gōng lǐ.
    Legend has it that the Dragon King lives in the Crystal Palace at the bottom of the sea.
  • 水晶宫。
    Zhè zuò bō li dà lóu zhēn xiàng yí zuò mó dēng de Shuǐ jīng gōng.
    This glass skyscraper really looks like a modern Crystal Palace.
  • 水晶宫。
    Hái zi men zài gù shi shū zhōng kàn dào le wǔ cǎi bīn fēn de Shuǐ jīng gōng.
    The children saw the colorful Crystal Palace in the storybook.

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.

水晶crystal
水shuǐwater晶jīngcrystal
偏正Modifier + head
宫gōngpalace

水 and 晶 make 水晶, a crystal-like substance, and 宫 means palace: a crystal palace.

Characters in this word

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

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

Open 水 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

晶 is drawn as three suns placed together, giving a picture of bright light.

Open 晶 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 宮; 宫 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀mián
  • 呂呂lǚ

The traditional form 宮 is built from 宀 and 呂.

Open 宫 →

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