英国人 (Yīng guó rén) — British person; the British (collectively) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

British personthe British (collectively)

Measure word · 个

Examples

英国人。
Wǒ rèn shi yí gè Yīng guó rén.
I know a British person.
英国人。
Hěn duō Yīng guó rén xǐ huan chī zhōng cān.
Many British people like to eat Chinese food.
英国人。
Tā zài lún dūn rèn shi le yí gè Yīng guó rén péng you.
She met a British friend in London.

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.

英国Britain

英yīngEnglish国guócountry

偏正Modifier + head

英国 names Britain, and 人 is a person from it.

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.

艹央英

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

央

央yāng英yīng

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

英 pairs 艹 (grass) with 央, which gives the sound.

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 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

囗或國

Meaning part形符xíngfú

囗囗wéiclosure

Sound part声符shēngfú

或

或huò國guó

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

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

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Appears in

Ethnic Groups & Nationalities

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