铜管 (tóng guǎn) — brass instrument (category of musical instruments made of brass, such as trumpet, trombone, etc.)

Definition

noun
brass instrument (category of musical instruments made of brass, such as trumpet, trombone, etc.)
Measure word · 支

Examples

  • 铜管。
    Tā shàn cháng yǎn zòu tóng guǎn.
    He is good at playing brass instruments.
  • 铜管。
    tóng guǎn Zài jiāo xiǎng yuè tuán zhōng fēi cháng zhòng yào.
    Brass instruments are very important in symphony orchestras.
  • 铜管。
    Zhè zhī yuè tuán quē yí gè tóng guǎn yǎn zòu yuán.
    This orchestra lacks a brass player.

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.

铜tóngcopper/brass
管guǎntube

铜 (copper/brass) with 管 (tube) names brass instruments made of metal tubes.

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 銅; 铜 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
同
同tóng銅tóng
Same sound today

The traditional form 銅 pairs 金 (metal) with 同 as the sound part; the simplified 铜 is a shorthand.

Open 铜 →

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
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
官
官guān管guǎn
Same sound today

管 has 竹 (bamboo) on top to show it relates to bamboo, and 官 gives its sound.

Open 管 →

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