莲花 (lián huā) — lotus flower; lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

lotus flowerlotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

Measure word · 朵

Examples

莲花。
Xià tiān chí táng lǐ de lián huā kāi dé hěn měi.
The lotus flowers in the pond bloom beautifully in summer.
莲花，。
Tā zuì xǐ huan lián huā, jué de tā hěn chún jié.
She likes lotus flowers the most and thinks they are very pure.
莲花。
Zhè fú huà shàng de lián huā xǔ xǔ rú shēng.
The lotus in this painting is lifelike.

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.

莲花 is the 花 of the 莲 plant.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 蓮; 莲 is its simplified writing.

艹連蓮

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎo

Sound part声符shēngfú

連

連lián蓮lián

Same sound today

The traditional form 蓮 puts the plant mark 艹 above 連, which gives the sound. The simplified 莲 is a later shorthand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

艹化花

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

化

Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

Appears in

Plants & Flowers

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