盆景 (pén jǐng) — potted landscape; miniature trees; bonsai (Chinese art form)

Definition

盆景 (pénjǐng) means 'potted landscape' or 'miniature trees' — a cultivated plant arrangement in a shallow pot, often shaped like a tiny landscape. The term covers both the art form and a single such plant.

noun
potted landscapeminiature treesbonsai (Chinese art form)
Measure word · 盆

Examples

  • 盆景。
    Zhè pén pén jǐng yǐ jīng yǒu èr shí nián de lì shǐ le.
    This potted landscape already has a history of twenty years.
  • 盆景。
    Tā xǐ huan zài yáng tái shàng bǎi nòng pén jǐng.
    He likes to tinker with miniature trees on the balcony.
  • 盆景。
    Zhōng guó de pén jǐng yì shù zài shì jiè hěn yǒu míng.
    The Chinese art of potted landscapes is very famous in the world.

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.

盆pénpot
景jǐngscenery

盆 (pot) and 景 (scenery) combine for a miniature potted landscape.

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
皿皿mǐn
Sound part声符shēngfú
分
分fēn盆pén(r)
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

盆 pairs 分, which gives the sound, with 皿, a vessel, to indicate a basin or tub.

Open 盆 →

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
日日rìsun
Sound part声符shēngfú
京
京jīng景jǐng
Same sound today

景 has 日 (sun) with 京, which gives its sound; it originally meant sunlight.

Open 景 →

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