浅棕 (qiǎn zōng) — light brown, tan | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A color term meaning 'light brown / tan' — used like an adjective (浅棕色, 浅棕的). Distinguish from 深棕 (dark brown) on the same spectrum.

adjective

light browntan

浅棕。
Tā chuān le yí jiàn qiǎn zōng sè de wài tào.
She wore a light brown coat.
浅棕，。
Zhè zhāng shā fā shì qiǎn zōng de, hěn nài zāng.
This sofa is light brown and very stain-resistant.
浅棕，。
Tā de tóu fa shì qiǎn zōng de, kàn qǐ lái hěn zì rán.
His hair is light brown and looks very natural.

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.

A shallow brown tone is a light brown or tan color.

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 淺; 浅 is its simplified writing.

氵戔淺

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐ

Sound part声符shēngfú

戔

戔jiān淺qiǎn

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 淺 pairs 氵 (water) with 戔 to give the sound; 浅 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

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

木木mùwood

Sound part声符shēngfú

㚇

㚇㚇棕zōng

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

棕 is built from 木 (wood) and 宗, which gives the sound.