管乐器 (guǎn yuè qì) — wind instrument

Definition

noun

wind instrument

Measure word · 件

管乐器，。
Tā shàn cháng yǎn zòu gè zhǒng guǎn yuè qì, yóu qí shì cháng dí.
He is good at playing all kinds of wind instruments, especially the flute.
管乐器，。
guǎn yuè qì De zhǒng lèi hěn duō, yǒu mù guǎn yuè qì hé tóng guǎn yuè qì zhī fēn.
There are many types of wind instruments, divided into woodwinds and brass instruments.
管乐器，。
Wǒ zhèng zài xué xí yì zhǒng guǎn yuè qì, jiào dān huáng guǎn.
I am learning a wind instrument called the clarinet.

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.

管乐wind music

偏正Modifier + head

器qìinstrument

管乐 names wind music, and 器 names an instrument, so 管乐器 is an instrument for wind music.

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.

竹官管

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

官

Same sound today

管 has 竹 (bamboo) on top to show it relates to bamboo, and 官 gives its sound.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 樂; 乐 is its simplified writing.

In the traditional form 樂, 絲 (string) with 木 (wood) shows strings on a piece of wood, a musical instrument; the simplified 乐 is a later shorthand.

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

The origin of 器 is uncertain; one traditional account reads the whole shape as a scene of guarding over four vessels.