韵脚 (yùn jiǎo) — rhyming word (at the end of a line of verse); rhyme (in poetry)

Definition

A technical poetry term for the rhyming word placed at the end of a verse line. Pairs naturally with 押 (yā): 押韵 means 'to rhyme', while 韵脚 names the specific word that carries the rhyme.

noun
rhyming word (at the end of a line of verse)rhyme (in poetry)

Examples

  • 韵脚。
    Zhè shǒu shī de yùn jiǎo yā dé hěn gōng zhěng.
    The rhyming words of this poem are very regular.
  • 韵脚。
    Xiě gǔ shī yào zhù yì yùn jiǎo de xuǎn zé.
    When writing classical poetry, pay attention to the choice of rhyme.
  • 韵脚。
    Tā fēn xī le zhè shǒu cí de yùn jiǎo.
    He analyzed the rhyming words of this ci poem.

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.

韵yùnrhyme
脚jiǎofoot

韵 (rhyme) sits at the 脚 (foot) of a verse line.

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 韻; 韵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
音音yīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
員
員yuán韻yùn
Same sound today

The traditional form 韻 pairs 音, meaning sound, with 員 to give its sound; the simplified 韵 is a later shorthand, not made of those original parts.

Open 韵 →

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 腳; 脚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat, body
Sound part声符shēngfú
卻
卻què腳jiǎo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 腳 uses ⺼ for a body part and 卻 for the sound; the simplified 脚 is a later shorthand.

Open 脚 →

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