眼镜蛇 (yǎn jìng shé) — cobra (species Naja atra) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

cobra (species Naja atra)

Measure word · 条

Examples

眼镜蛇。
yǎn jìng shé De dú yè fēi cháng wēi xiǎn.
The venom of a cobra is very dangerous.
眼镜蛇。
Hěn duō dòng wù yuán lǐ dōu yǒu yǎn jìng shé.
Many zoos have cobras.
眼镜蛇。
yǎn jìng shé Tái qǐ tóu lái de shí hou hěn xià rén.
When a cobra raises its head, it's very scary.

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.

眼镜glasses

眼yǎneye镜jìnglens

偏正Modifier + head

眼镜 glasses and 蛇 snake combine to name the cobra with its hood-like spectacle.

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.

目艮眼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

目目mùeye

Sound part声符shēngfú

艮

艮gèn眼yǎn

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

眼 combines 目, which is an eye, with 艮, which gives the character's sound.

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 鏡; 镜 is its simplified writing.

金竟鏡

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

竟

竟jìng鏡jìng

Same sound today

The traditional form 鏡 puts 金, metal, next to 竟 to give the sound. The simplified 镜 is a later shorthand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

虫它蛇

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

它

它tā蛇shé

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

蛇 combines 虫 with 它; 它 gives the sound and was also the original form of this character.

Appears in

Animals & Mammals

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