自然环境 (zì rán huán jìng) — natural environment

Definition

idiom
natural environment

Examples

  • 自然环境。
    Bǎo hù zì rán huán jìng shì wǒ men měi gè rén de zé rèn.
    Protecting the natural environment is everyone's responsibility.
  • 自然环境。
    Zhè ge dì qū de zì rán huán jìng fēi cháng yōu měi.
    The natural environment in this area is very beautiful.
  • 自然环境。
    Rén lèi huó dòng duì zì rán huán jìng zào chéng le hěn dà yǐng xiǎng.
    Human activities have had a great impact on the natural environment.

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.

自然natural
自zìself然ránso
偏正Modifier + head
环境environment
环huánsurrounding境jìngregion
偏正Modifier + head

自然, 'natural', specifies 环境, 'environment'.

Characters in this word

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

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

自 originally drew a nose. It was borrowed purely for its sound to write 自, so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.

Open 自 →

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
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
肰
肰rán然rán
Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Open 然 →

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.

Open 环 →

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
竟
竟jìng境jìng
Same sound today

境 pairs 土 (earth) with 竟, which gives the sound; the 土 part carries the meaning.

Open 境 →

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