蓝鲸 (lán jīng) — blue whale | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

blue whale

Measure word · 头

蓝鲸。
lán jīng Shì dì qiú shàng zuì dà de dòng wù.
The blue whale is the largest animal on Earth.
蓝鲸。
Yán jiū rén yuán zhèng zài zhuī zōng yì qún lán jīng de qiān xǐ lù xiàn.
Researchers are tracking the migration route of a group of blue whales.
蓝鲸。
Kē pǔ piàn zhōng xiáng xì jiè shào le lán jīng de shēng huó xí xìng.
The science documentary introduced the living habits of blue whales in detail.

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.

蓝 (blue) describes 鲸 (whale), naming the blue whale.

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 藍; 蓝 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艸艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

監

監jiān藍lán

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

For 蓝, the traditional form 藍 has 艸, grass, above 監, 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 鯨; 鲸 is its simplified writing.

魚京鯨

Meaning part形符xíngfú

魚魚yúfish

Sound part声符shēngfú

京

Same sound today

The traditional form 鯨 pairs 魚 (fish) with 京 for the sound; the simplified 鲸 keeps that same 京 sound part.