生物圈 (shēng wù quān) — biosphere

Definition

noun
biosphere

Examples

  • 生物圈。
    shēng wù quān Shì dì qiú shàng suǒ yǒu shēng mìng shēng cún de qū yù.
    The biosphere is the region on Earth where all life exists.
  • 生物圈。
    Bǎo hù shēng wù quān duì rén lèi de wèi lái zhì guān zhòng yào.
    Protecting the biosphere is crucial for humanity's future.
  • 生物圈。
    Rén lèi huó dòng zhèng zài gǎi biàn zhěng gè shēng wù quān de píng héng.
    Human activities are altering the balance of the entire biosphere.

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.

生物living things
生shēnglife物wùthing
偏正Modifier + head
圈quānsphere

“生物” (living things) + “圈” (sphere): sphere of living things.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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
牛牛niú
Sound part声符shēngfú
勿
勿wù物wù
Same sound today

物 puts 牛 beside 勿: 牛 gives the meaning, and 勿 gives the sound.

Open 物 →

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
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
卷
卷juàn圈quān
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

圈 is made of the outer 囗, an enclosure shape, and the inner 卷, which gives the sound.

Open 圈 →

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