珍珠港 (Zhēn zhū gǎng) — Pearl Harbor | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

Pearl Harbor

Examples

，珍珠港。
Èr zhàn qī jiān, rì běn tōu xí le Zhēn zhū gǎng.
During World War II, Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
珍珠港。
Hěn duō yóu kè qù xià wēi yí cān guān Zhēn zhū gǎng.
Many tourists go to Hawaii to visit Pearl Harbor.
珍珠港。
Zhēn zhū gǎng Shì měi guó tài píng yáng jiàn duì de zhòng yào jī dì.
Pearl Harbor is an important base for the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

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.

珍珠pearl

珍zhēnprecious珠zhūpearl

偏正Modifier + head

'珍珠' names a pearl and '港' names a harbor; together they give Pearl Harbor.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

㐱

㐱㐱珍

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

珍 pairs 玉, a jade or gem, with 㐱, which gives the sound; the 玉 part fits its early meaning of a rich gemstone.

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

𤣩Written in full as玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

朱

朱zhū珠zhū

Same sound today

The left side 𤣩, a form of 玉, connects the character to jade, while the right side 朱 gives the sound.

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shuǐriver; water

Sound part声符shēngfú

巷

巷xiàng港gǎng

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

港 uses 水 (river; water) to show its meaning and 巷 to give its sound.

Appears in

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