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汤加 (Tāng jiā) — Tonga (country)

Definition

汤加 (Tāngjiā) is the country name for Tonga, a South Pacific island nation. Used like other country names: by itself, or with 的 for things belonging to it (e.g., 汤加的首都).

noun
Tonga (country)

Examples

  • 汤加。
    Tāng jiā Shì nán tài píng yáng de yí gè dǎo guó.
    Tonga is an island country in the South Pacific.
  • 汤加。
    Wǒ míng nián xiǎng qù Tāng jiā lǚ yóu.
    I want to travel to Tonga next year.
  • 汤加。
    Tāng jiā De shǒu dū shì nǔ kù ā luò fǎ.
    Tonga's capital is Nuku'alofa.

Origin

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 湯; 汤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
昜
昜yáng湯tāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 汤, the shape explained is 湯: 氵 is water, and 昜 gives the sound.

Open 汤 →

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

加 pairs 力 and 口. In one explanation 力 is strength and 口 is the mouth, meaning exaggeration; in another 力 is plowing effort and 口 is breath or exclamation, meaning extra effort.

Open 加 →
Appears in
International & Diplomacy

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