浅海 (qiǎn hǎi) — shallow sea | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

shallow sea

Measure word · 片

浅海。
Zhè zhǒng yú shēng huó zài qiǎn hǎi zhōng.
This kind of fish lives in shallow seas.
浅海。
qiǎn hǎi Yǎng zhí shì yán hǎi dì qū de zhòng yào chǎn yè.
Shallow-sea aquaculture is an important industry in coastal areas.
浅海。
Shān hú jiāo tōng cháng zài qiǎn hǎi hǎi yù xíng chéng.
Coral reefs usually form in shallow sea areas.

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.

浅 means shallow and 海 means sea, so the word names a shallow sea.

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.

氵每海

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

每

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

海 pairs 氵 (water) with 每, which gives the sound. The 氵 side shows it is about water.