长臂猿 (cháng bì yuán) — gibbon | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

gibbon

Measure word · 只

长臂猿。
Wǒ men zài dòng wù yuán kàn dào le yì zhī cháng bì yuán.
We saw a gibbon at the zoo.
长臂猿。
cháng bì yuán Shēng huó zài rè dài yǔ lín lǐ.
Gibbons live in tropical rainforests.
长臂猿，。
cháng bì yuán De gē bo hěn cháng, kě yǐ zài shù jiān líng huó yí dòng.
Gibbons have long arms and can move flexibly among the trees.

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.

长臂

偏正Modifier + head

长 and 臂 form long arms, then 猿 adds ape, describing an ape with long arms.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

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

肉肉ròumeat; flesh

Sound part声符shēngfú

辟

Same sound today

臂 includes 肉, meaning meat or flesh, and 辟, which gives the character its sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

犭袁猿

Meaning part形符xíngfú

犭Written in full as犬quǎn

Sound part声符shēngfú

袁

袁yuán猿yuán

Same sound today

The left part 犭, written in full as 犬, shows an animal; the right part 袁 gives the sound.