耳环 (ěr huán) — earring | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A specific kind of jewelry: the earring (or pair of earrings) you wear on your ear. Distinct from 坠, which is a generic pendant that may hang from a necklace or other object.

noun

earring

Measure word · 只, 对

Examples

耳环。
Tā mǎi le yí duì ěr huán.
She bought a pair of earrings.
耳环，。
Wǒ diū le yì zhī ěr huán, zhǎo bú dào le.
I lost one earring and can't find it.
耳环。
Nǐ dài de ěr huán zhēn hǎo kàn.
The earrings you're wearing are really pretty.

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.

耳环 is a 环 worn at the 耳, so it means earring.

Characters in this word

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

耳 is drawn as a picture of an ear.

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 環; 环 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

玉玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

睘

睘qióng環huán

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

The traditional form 環 pairs 玉 (jade) with a sound part; the simplified 环 is a shorthand and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Footwear & Accessories

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