海流 (hǎi liú) — ocean current | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

ocean current

海流。
Zhè tiáo hǎi liú duì quán qiú qì hòu yǒu zhòng yào yǐng xiǎng.
This ocean current has a significant impact on the global climate.
海流。
Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū hǎi liú de yùn dòng guī lǜ.
Scientists are studying the movement patterns of ocean currents.
海流海流。
Nuǎn hǎi liú hé hán hǎi liú jiāo huì chù wǎng wǎng yú yè zī yuán fēng fù.
Areas where warm and cold ocean currents meet are often rich in fishery resources.

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 gives sea and 流 gives current, so the whole means a current of the 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.

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.

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

㐬

㐬㐬流liú

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

流 has 水, water, and 㐬, which gives the sound. The water part matches meanings such as flow.