蜡像 (là xiàng) — wax figure; waxwork | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

wax figurewaxwork

Measure word · 尊

Examples

蜡像。
Zhè jiā bó wù guǎn lǐ yǒu hěn duō míng rén de là xiàng.
There are many wax figures of celebrities in this museum.
蜡像。
Wǒ hé là xiàng pāi le yì zhāng zhào piàn.
I took a photo with a wax figure.
蜡像。
Nà ge là xiàng zuò dé hé zhēn rén yì mú yí yàng.
That wax figure looks exactly like a real person.

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.

像xiàngfigure

The wax idea and figure idea combine to mean a figure made of wax.

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 蠟; 蜡 is its simplified writing.

虫巤蠟

Meaning part形符xíngfú

虫虫chónginsect

Sound part声符shēngfú

巤

巤liè蠟là

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

The traditional form 蠟 has 虫 (insect) and 巤 (sound); the simplified 蜡 is a shorthand.

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

亻象像

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

象

Same sound today

像 uses 亻, the side form of 人 (person), with 象 giving the sound.

Appears in

Art & Fine Arts

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