阿拉伯沙漠 (ā lā bó shā mò) — Arabian Desert

Definition

noun
Arabian Desert

Examples

  • 阿拉伯沙漠。
    ā lā bó shā mò Shì shì jiè shàng zuì dà de shā mò zhī yī.
    The Arabian Desert is one of the largest deserts in the world.
  • 阿拉伯沙漠。
    Kē xué jiā zài ā lā bó shā mò fā xiàn le gǔ dài wén míng de yí jì.
    Scientists discovered ruins of an ancient civilization in the Arabian Desert.
  • 阿拉伯沙漠，。
    ā lā bó shā mò De qì hòu fēi cháng gān zào, bái tiān wēn dù hěn gāo.
    The climate of the Arabian Desert is very dry, with high temperatures during the day.

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.

阿拉伯Arab
阿ā拉lā伯bó
沙漠desert
沙shāsand漠mòdesert
联合Side by side

阿拉伯 names the Arab region, while 沙漠 means desert, so together they form the Arabian Desert.

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
阜阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
可
可kě阿ā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The part 阜 points to a mound, and 可 gives the pronunciation; 阿 originally meant a big mound.

Open 阿 →

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
立
立lì拉lā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拉 pairs 手 (hand) with 立, a component that supplies the sound.

Open 拉 →

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
人人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái伯bó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

伯 pairs 人 (person) with 白, which gives its sound.

Open 伯 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

沙 puts 少 (dots) beside 水 (water), showing sand on a shoreline.

Open 沙 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
莫
莫mò漠mò
Same sound today

漠 pairs 水 (water) with 莫 as the sound part. The water part shows the meaning is connected to water.

Open 漠 →

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