赠礼 (zèng lǐ) — gift, present (formal)

Definition

noun

giftpresent (formal)

Measure word · 份

赠礼。
Tā sòng le yí fèn zhēn guì de zèng lǐ.
He gave a precious gift.
赠礼。
Zhè fèn zèng lǐ dài biǎo le wǒ men de xīn yì.
This gift represents our feelings.
赠礼。
Gōng sī gěi měi wèi yuán gōng zhǔn bèi le xīn nián zèng lǐ.
The company prepared New Year gifts for every employee.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

赠 expresses giving, and 礼 expresses a gift, together meaning a present.

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 贈; 赠 is its simplified writing.

貝曾贈

Meaning part形符xíngfú

貝貝bèi

Sound part声符shēngfú

曾

Same sound today

The traditional form 贈 combines 貝 with 曾, which supplies the sound; the simplified 赠 is a shorthand.

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 禮; 礼 is its simplified writing.

礻豊禮

Meaning part形符xíngfú

礻Written in full as示shìaltar

Sound part声符shēngfú

豊

豊lǐ禮lǐ

Same sound today

The traditional form 禮 pairs 礻 (altar) with 豊, a sound part, for performing rites at the altar; the simplified 礼 is a later shorthand.