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海马 (hǎi mǎ) — seahorse (marine fish); hippocampus (part of the brain)

Definition

海马 literally means 'sea horse' and is used for both the marine fish (seahorse) and, by shape resemblance, the brain structure (hippocampus). The two senses are unrelated in English — learn both as separate meanings of the same word.

noun
seahorse (marine fish)hippocampus (part of the brain)
Measure word · 只

Examples

  • 海马。
    Shuǐ zú guǎn lǐ de hǎi mǎ zhèng zài bǎi dòng wěi ba.
    The seahorse in the aquarium is wagging its tail.
  • 海马。
    Dà nǎo zhōng de hǎi mǎ zhǔ yào fù zé jì yì hé kōng jiān dìng wèi.
    The hippocampus in the brain is mainly responsible for memory and spatial orientation.
  • 海马。
    Zhè wèi yì shù jiā yòng bèi ké zuò le yì zhī xiǎo hǎi mǎ.
    This artist made a little seahorse out of seashells.

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
马mǎhorse

“海” points to the sea and “马” to a horse, naming the horse-like sea creature.

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 馬; 马 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 馬 shows a horse with its head facing left, a flowing mane, and two legs standing vertically.

Open 马 →
Appears in
Fish & Aquatic LifeOrgans & Anatomy

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