海獭 (hǎi tà) — sea otter (Enhydra lutris)

Definition

noun

sea otter (Enhydra lutris)

Measure word · 只

海獭。
Dòng wù yuán lǐ de hǎi tà zhèng zài yóu yǒng.
The sea otter in the zoo is swimming.
海獭。
hǎi tà Xǐ huan chī hǎi xiān.
Sea otters like to eat seafood.
海獭。
Zhè zhī hǎi tà yòng shí tou qiāo kāi le bèi ké.
This sea otter cracked open a shell with a rock.

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 locates the 獭 as a sea otter.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 獺; 獭 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

賴

賴lài獺tǎ

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

The traditional form 獺 combines 犬, a dog, with 賴 for the sound; the simplified 獭 is a shorthand.

Appears in