马匹 (mǎ pǐ) — horses (collectively) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

horses (collectively)

Measure word · 匹

马匹。
Cǎo yuán shàng yǒu xǔ duō mǎ pǐ.
There are many horses on the grassland.
马匹。
Zhè xiē mǎ pǐ dōu shì yě shēng de.
These horses are all wild.
马匹。
Mù mín men yǎng le shàng bǎi pǐ mǎ pǐ.
The herders raised hundreds of horses.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

马 and 匹 both point to horses, together meaning horses as a group.

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 馬; 马 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 馬 shows a horse with its head facing left, a flowing mane, and two legs standing vertically.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

乙

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The form 匹 is often explained as 石 (rock) with 乙 giving the sound, but its original picture is uncertain.

Appears in