潭 (tán) — deep pool; pond; pit (bound form, used in compounds and place names)
Definition
潭 is a bound literary noun for a 'deep pool' (often mountain-fed or named in place names like 龙潭). It is more formal and poetic than everyday 水塘 or 池塘.
bound form
deep poolpondpit (bound form, used in compounds and place names)
Examples
- 潭。Shān lǐ de tán shuǐ fēi cháng qīng chè.The water in the mountain pool is very clear.
- 潭。Zhè ge dì qū yǒu jǐ gè tiān rán shēn tán.This area has several natural deep pools.
- 潭。Lóng tán shì dāng dì yǒu míng de jǐng diǎn.Longtan is a famous local scenic spot.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
Sound part声符shēngfú
覃
覃qín潭tán
Same sound today
潭 has 氵, the water part, and 覃, which gives its sound.
Appears in
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