谜语 (mí yǔ) — riddle; conundrum | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

谜语 is a concrete riddle or puzzle — a specific question with a clever answer. Compare 谜 (abstract sense, a mystery) and 谜底 (the answer to a 谜语).

noun

riddleconundrum

Measure word · 条

Examples

谜语。
Zhè tiáo mí yǔ de dá àn hěn jiǎn dān.
The answer to this riddle is very simple.
谜语。
Tā biān le yì tiáo yǒu qù de mí yǔ.
He made up an interesting riddle.
谜语。
Dēng mí jiù shì yì zhǒng xiě zài dēng long shàng de mí yǔ.
Lantern riddles are a kind of riddle written on lanterns.

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.

谜míriddle

语yǔwords, saying

“谜” (riddle) and “语” (words, saying) combine as a puzzling saying that asks for an answer.

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 謎; 谜 is its simplified writing.

言迷謎

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánspeech

Sound part声符shēngfú

迷

迷mí謎mí

Same sound today

The traditional form 謎 is made from 言 (speech) and 迷, which gives the sound and means 'to be lost'; the simplified 谜 is a later abbreviation.

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.

言吾語

Meaning part形符xíngfú

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.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 5 Games & Puzzles

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