海法 (Hǎi fǎ) — maritime law

Definition

noun
maritime law

Examples

  • 海法。
    Tā shì yí wèi Hǎi fǎ lǐng yù de zhuān jiā.
    He is an expert in the field of maritime law.
  • 海法。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī zhuān mén cóng shì Hǎi fǎ zī xún.
    This company specializes in maritime law consulting.
  • 海法。
    Guó jì Hǎi fǎ duì hǎi shàng mào yì yǒu zhòng yào yǐng xiǎng.
    International maritime law has an important impact on maritime trade.

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.

海hǎisea
法fǎlaw

海 specifies maritime matters, and 法 means law.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
每
每měi海hǎi
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.

Open 海 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →

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