钢琴 (gāng qín) — piano | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

piano

Measure word · 架, 台

钢琴。
Tā cóng bā suì kāi shǐ xué gāng qín.
He started learning piano at age eight.
钢琴。
Nà tái gāng qín hěn piào liang.
That piano is very beautiful.
钢琴。
Tā měi tiān tán gāng qín.
He plays piano every day.

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

「钢」 gives steel and 「琴」 gives instrument, together naming a piano.

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 鋼; 钢 is its simplified writing.

金岡鋼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

岡

岡gāng鋼gàng

Same sound today

The traditional form 鋼 shows 金, meaning metal, next to 岡, which carries the sound gāng; the simplified 钢 is a later shorthand.

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.

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