红发 (hóng fā) — red hair

Definition

Refers to naturally or dyed red hair, usually describing people. Often used in writing or storytelling; in everyday speech 红色的头发 or 头发是红色的 is more common.

noun
red hair
Measure word · 头

Examples

  • 红发。
    Tā yǒu yì tóu piào liang de hóng fā.
    She has beautiful red hair.
  • 红发。
    Nà ge hóng fā de nǚ hái shì wǒ de tóng xué.
    That girl with red hair is my classmate.
  • 红发，。
    Tā rǎn le hóng fā, kàn qǐ lái hěn yǒu gè xìng.
    He dyed his hair red, looks very distinctive.

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.

红hóngred
发fāhair

红 red tells what kind of 发 hair, giving red hair.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 紅; 红 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng紅hóng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 紅 puts 糸 (silk) next to 工, which gives the sound; the simplified 红 is a later shorthand.

Open 红 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →

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