海狸 (hǎi lí) — beaver | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

beaver

Measure word · 只

Examples

海狸。
hǎi lí Shì yì zhǒng shēng huó zài hé biān de dòng wù.
Beavers are animals that live by rivers.
海狸。
Zhè zhǒng hǎi lí huì yòng shù zhī hé ní bā zhù bà.
This kind of beaver builds dams with branches and mud.
海狸。
Wǒ men zuó tiān zài dòng wù yuán lǐ kàn dào le yì zhī hǎi lí.
We saw a beaver at the zoo yesterday.

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.

狸líanimal

“海” means sea and “狸” names an animal, together beaver.

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

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.

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

里

Same sound today

狸 pairs 犬, a dog, with 里, which gives the sound.

Appears in

Animals & Mammals

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