钟琴 (zhōng qín) — carillon (a musical instrument consisting of tu…

Definition

noun

carillon (a musical instrument consisting of tuned metal bars struck with mallets)

Measure word · 架

钟琴。
Tā zài yīn yuè xué yuàn xué xí le sān nián zhōng qín.
He studied the carillon at the music academy for three years.
钟琴。
Zhè duàn xuán lǜ shì yòng zhōng qín yǎn zòu de.
This melody is played on the carillon.
钟琴，。
zhōng qín De shēng yīn qīng cuì yuè ěr, xiàng quán shuǐ yí yàng dòng tīng.
The sound of the carillon is clear and pleasant, as beautiful as spring water.

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.

琴qíninstrument

钟, bell, and 琴, instrument, describe a bell-like instrument.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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

珡珡qín

Sound part声符shēngfú

今

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

琴 pairs 珡, the part tied to its sense as a stringed instrument, with 今, which gives the sound.