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滑翔伞 (huá xiáng sǎn) — (noun) paraglider (the equipment); (noun) paragliding (the sport)

Definition

Compound noun that can mean the parachute-like equipment ('a paraglider') or the sport itself ('paragliding'), depending on context. The verb 滑翔 means 'to glide'; 伞 refers to the canopy.

noun
paraglider (the equipment)paragliding (the sport)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 滑翔伞。
    Tā mǎi le yì dǐng xīn huá xiáng sǎn.
    He bought a new paraglider.
  • 滑翔伞。
    Zhōu mò wǒ men qù shān shàng wán huá xiáng sǎn.
    This weekend we're going to the mountains to go paragliding.
  • 滑翔伞。
    huá xiáng sǎn Yùn dòng xū yào hěn hǎo de tiān qì.
    Paragliding requires very good weather.

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.

滑翔glide/soar
滑huáglide翔xiángsoar
联合Coordinate
伞sǎnumbrella

滑翔 means gliding or soaring, and 伞 is an umbrella-like wing, so 滑翔伞 names a paraglider.

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
骨
骨gǔ滑huá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

滑 pairs 水 (water) with 骨, which gives the sound.

Open 滑 →

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
羽羽yǔfeathers
Sound part声符shēngfú
羊
羊yáng翔xiáng
Same sound today

翔 pairs 羽 (feathers) with 羊, which gives the sound. The feathers part connects to soaring.

Open 翔 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 傘; 伞 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 傘 is drawn like an umbrella. The simplified 伞 is a later shorthand, not the original drawing.

Open 伞 →
Appears in
Outdoor Recreation

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