舷窗 (xián chuāng) — porthole | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A porthole — the small round window on a ship or airplane. 舷 refers to the side of a vessel; 窗 means window.

noun

porthole

Measure word · 个

舷窗，。
Cóng xián chuāng kàn chū qù, hǎi miàn fēi cháng píng jìng.
Looking out from the porthole, the sea was very calm.
舷窗，。
Chuán shàng de xián chuāng hěn xiǎo, dàn guāng xiàn hěn hǎo.
The portholes on the ship are small, but the light is good.
舷窗。
Tā cā gān jìng le nà ge xián chuāng.
He wiped that porthole clean.

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.

舷xiánship's side

舷 names a ship's side, and 窗 names a window; together they mean a window set in the side.

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.

舟玄舷

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

玄

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

舷 combines 舟, showing a boat, with 玄, giving the sound xuán.

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

穴囱窗

窗 combines 穴 (hole) with 囱 (window), giving the sense of an opening used as a window.