水曲柳 (shuǐ qū liǔ) — Northeast China ash (a type of hardwood tree na…

Definition

noun

Northeast China ash (a type of hardwood tree native to East Asia)

Measure word · 棵

。
Zhè zhāng zhuō zi shì yòng shuǐ qū liǔ zuò de.
This table is made of Northeast China ash.
水曲柳，。
shuǐ qū liǔ De mù cái hěn yìng, shì hé zuò jiā jù.
Northeast China ash wood is very hard, suitable for making furniture.
水曲柳。
Wǒ zài sēn lín lǐ kàn dào le yì kē shuǐ qū liǔ.
I saw a Northeast China ash tree in the forest.

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.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

曲 is drawn as a bent object, matching the meaning 'bend'.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

木卯柳

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

卯

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

The willow character 柳 pairs 木, tree, with 卯, which gives its sound.