波斯猫 (Bō sī māo) — Persian cat | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

Persian cat

Measure word · 只

Examples

波斯猫。
Tā jiā yǎng le yì zhī bái sè de Bō sī māo.
She has a white Persian cat at home.
波斯猫，。
Bō sī māo De máo yòu cháng yòu ruǎn, xū yào měi tiān shū lǐ.
Persian cats have long, soft fur that needs daily grooming.
波斯猫，。
Hěn duō rén xǐ huan Bō sī māo, yīn wèi tā men xìng gé wēn shùn.
Many people like Persian cats because they are gentle.

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.

波斯Persian

音译Transliteration

波斯 gives the Persian name, and 猫 gives cat.

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.

氵皮波

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

皮

皮pí波bō

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

The left side 氵 is water, and the right side 皮 gives the sound.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

苗

苗miáo猫māo

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

猫 puts 犬 beside 苗; 犬 marks the animal sense, and 苗 gives the sound.

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