深谷 (shēn gǔ) — deep valley | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

deep valley

Measure word · 个

深谷。
Zhè tiáo shēn gǔ lǐ yǒu yí zuò gǔ lǎo de sì miào.
There is an ancient temple in this deep valley.
深谷，。
Tàn xiǎn duì zǒu jìn shēn gǔ, fā xiàn le yì tiáo hé liú.
The expedition walked into the deep valley and discovered a river.
，深谷。
Cóng shān dǐng wǎng xià kàn, shēn gǔ xiǎn de gé wài zhuàng guān.
Looking down from the mountaintop, the deep valley looks particularly magnificent.

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.

深 gives depth to 谷, making a deep valley.

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

𥥍

𥥍𥥍深shēn

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

深 is built from 氵, the side form of 水 “water”, and 𥥍, which supplies the sound.

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

The shape of 谷 comes from a picture of a valley: an opening between two near-parallel lines for mountain walls.