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西语 (xī yǔ) — Spanish (short for 西班牙语); Western languages (rare, academic)

Definition

Short for 西班牙语 (Spanish). In linguistics it can also mean 'Western languages' as a general term, but learners will meet it most often meaning Spanish.

noun
Spanish (short for 西班牙语)Western languages (rare, academic)
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 西语。
    Wǒ měi zhōu shàng liǎng jié xī yǔ kè.
    I have two Spanish classes every week.
  • 西语。
    Tā fān yì le yì běn xī yǔ xiǎo shuō.
    He translated a Spanish novel.
  • ，西语。
    Zài yǔ yán xué zhōng, xī yǔ yǒu shí zhǐ xī fāng yǔ yán de zǒng chēng.
    In linguistics, 西语 sometimes refers to Western languages as a general term.

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.

西xīWest
语yǔlanguage

“西” points to the West and “语” means language, so it denotes a Western language, commonly Spanish.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 西 →

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 語; 语 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
吾
吾wú語yǔ
Same sound today

The form 語 pairs 言 (speech) with 吾, which gives the sound; this note is about 語, not 语.

Open 语 →
Appears in
Language

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