(xián) — side of a ship or aircraft

Definition

noun
side of a ship or aircraft

Examples

  • Chuán de zuǒ xián yǒu jiù shēng tǐng.
    The port side of the ship has lifeboats.
  • Fēi jī de yòu xián yǒu yí gè jǐn jí chū kǒu.
    The starboard side of the airplane has an emergency exit.
  • Zhè sōu chuán de chuán xián hěn jiān gù.
    The side of this ship is very sturdy.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
zhōuboat
Sound part声符shēngfú
xuánxián
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.

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