野鸭 (yě yā) — wild duck (especially the mallard)

Definition

noun

wild duck (especially the mallard)

Measure word · 只

野鸭。
Hú shàng yǒu jǐ zhī yě yā zài yóu yǒng.
There are a few wild ducks swimming on the lake.
野鸭。
Zhè zhǒng yě yā de yǔ máo fēi cháng piào liang.
The feathers of this kind of wild duck are very beautiful.
野鸭。
Tā dǎ liè shí dǎ dào le yì zhī yě yā.
He shot a wild duck while hunting.

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.

野 means wild and 鸭 means duck, naming a duck that lives in the wild.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth

Sound part声符shēngfú

予

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

野 combines 田 (field) above 土 (earth) to show open country, with 予 giving the sound.

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 鴨; 鸭 is its simplified writing.

甲鳥鴨

Meaning part形符xíngfú

鳥鳥niǎobird

Sound part声符shēngfú

甲

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

The traditional form 鴨 uses 甲 for its sound and 鳥 for bird; the simplified 鸭 is a shorthand.

Appears in