英雄 (yīng xióng) — hero

Definition

英雄 is a 'hero' in the real-world sense — someone admired for brave or noble deeds. Unlike 主人公, which is the main character of a story, 英雄 is rarely used for fictional leads.

noun
hero
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 。
    Měi gè guó jiā dōu yǒu zì jǐ de mín zú yīng xióng.
    Every country has its own national heroes.
  • ，英雄。
    Tā zài huǒ zāi zhōng jiù le yí gè xiǎo hái, chéng le dà jiā xīn zhōng de yīng xióng.
    He saved a child in the fire and became a hero in everyone's heart.
  • 英雄。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng jiǎng shù le yí wèi píng fán yīng xióng de gù shi.
    This movie tells the story of an ordinary hero.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

英yīngoutstanding
雄xiónghero

Outstanding and heroic qualities combine to name a hero.

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.

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.

Open 英 →

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
隹隹zhuī
Sound part声符shēngfú
厷
厷gōng雄xióng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

雄 is formed by putting 隹 together with 厷, with 厷 giving the character's sound.

Open 雄 →
Appears in
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