燕子 (yàn zi) — swallow (the bird) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

燕子 is the bird (a swallow). The verb 'to swallow food' is 吞 or 咽 — same English word, completely different meaning.

noun

swallow (the bird)

Measure word · 只

燕子。
Yì qún yàn zi cóng nán fāng fēi huí lái le.
A flock of swallows flew back from the south.
燕子。
yàn zi De wō shì yòng ní tǔ zuò de.
Swallow nests are made of mud.
燕子。
Wǒ kàn jiàn jǐ zhī yàn zi zài shù shàng xiū xi.
I saw a few swallows resting in a tree.

Derived word

构词法gòucífǎ

后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

燕子 names the swallow 燕, with 子 completing the familiar word.

Characters in this word

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

燕 comes from a picture of a swallow.

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Appears in