水龙 (shuǐ lóng) — (noun) fire hose; fire engine; (noun) a type of aquatic plant (e.g., water fern); (noun) the 29th year in the Chinese sexagenary cycle (Water Dragon)

Definition

水龙 (shuǐlóng) has three distinct senses: a 'fire hose' (water-shooting device), an aquatic plant used in herbal medicine, and the 29th year in the sexagenary cycle (Water Dragon year).

noun
fire hosefire enginea type of aquatic plant (e.g., water fern)the 29th year in the Chinese sexagenary cycle (Water Dragon)
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 水龙。
    Xiāo fáng duì yuán xùn sù dǎ kāi le shuǐ lóng.
    The firefighters quickly opened the fire hose.
  • 水龙。
    Zhè zhǒng shuǐ lóng kě yǐ zhì liáo gǎn mào.
    This type of water plant can treat colds.
  • 水龙。
    shuǐ lóng Shì gān zhī jì nián zhōng de dì èr shí jiǔ nián.
    Water Dragon is the twenty-ninth year in the sexagenary cycle.

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shuǐwater
龙lóngdragon

水龙 pictures a dragon of water: a fire hose like a dragon spouting water, also a water plant and the Water Dragon year.

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 龍; 龙 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 龍 originally drew a sacred creature with a large mouth and a snake-like body; the simplified 龙 is the form written here.

Open 龙 →

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