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蛤 (gé) — clam; bivalve

Definition

蛤 (gé) is a bound form meaning 'clam' — it never stands alone; it always attaches to 蜊 to form 蛤蜊 (clam). It also appears in 蛤蟆 (háma, toad).

bound form
clambivalve

Examples

  • 。
    gé Lí shì yì zhǒng hěn hǎo chī hǎi xiān.
    Clams are a very tasty kind of seafood.
  • 。
    Mā ma jīn tiān zuò le gé lí tāng.
    Mom made clam soup today.
  • 。
    Hǎi biān yǒu hěn duō rén wā gé lí.
    Many people dig for clams at the seaside.

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
虫虫chóng
Sound part声符shēngfú
合
合hé蛤gé
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

蛤 uses 虫 to show it is a creature and 合 to give the sound.

Appears in
Fish & Aquatic Life

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