独木舟 (dú mù zhōu) — dugout canoe | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A canoe made by hollowing out a single log (literally “single-wood boat”). A traditional, often ancient craft, distinct from modern boats.

noun

dugout canoe

Measure word · 条

Examples

独木舟。
Zhè tiáo dú mù zhōu shì yòng yì zhěng kē dà shù wā chéng de.
This dugout canoe was hollowed out from a whole big tree.
独木舟。
Tā men huá zhe dú mù zhōu zài hú shàng bǔ yú.
They paddled a dugout canoe on the lake to fish.
独木舟。
Bó wù guǎn lǐ chén liè zhe gǔ dài dú mù zhōu.
The museum displays ancient dugout canoes.

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.

独木single log

独dúsingle木mùwood

偏正Modifier + head

A 舟 boat made from one 独 single piece of 木 wood.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 獨; 独 is its simplified writing.

犭蜀獨

Meaning part形符xíngfú

犭Written in full as犬quǎn

Sound part声符shēngfú

蜀

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 獨 pairs 犬 (dog) with 蜀, which gives the sound; the simplified 独 is a shorthand.

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

木 is drawn as a tree, with branches above and roots below.

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

舟 was originally a drawing of a boat.

Appears in

Boats & Water Travel

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