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青蛙 (qīng wā) — frog

Definition

noun
frog
Measure word · 只

Examples

  • 青蛙。
    Chí táng lǐ yǒu hěn duō qīng wā.
    There are many frogs in the pond.
  • 青蛙。
    Xiǎo péng yǒu xǐ huan kàn qīng wā tiào lái tiào qù.
    Children like to watch frogs jumping around.
  • 青蛙。
    Zhè zhī qīng wā shì lǜ sè de.
    This frog is green.

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.

青qīnggreen
蛙wāfrog

青 means green and 蛙 means frog, naming the common frog.

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.

An early form of 青 combined 生 and 井, both used for sound; the modern form has changed.

Open 青 →

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
虫虫chónginsect; creature
Sound part声符shēngfú
圭
圭guī蛙wā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

蛙 is built from 虫 (creature) and 圭, which gives the sound clue.

Open 蛙 →
Appears in
Animals & Mammals

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