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鸳鸯 (yuān yang) — mandarin duck (Aix galericulata); lovebirds, affectionate couple (cultural metaphor)

Definition

The actual mandarin duck (Aix galericulata), used in Chinese culture as a symbol of a loving, devoted couple. The second meaning — 'affectionate couple / lovebirds' — comes from this cultural symbolism, not from the bird itself.

noun
mandarin duck (Aix galericulata)lovebirdsaffectionate couple (cultural metaphor)
Measure word · 对

Examples

  • 鸳鸯。
    Hú lǐ yǒu jǐ zhī yuān yang zài yóu yǒng.
    There are several mandarin ducks swimming in the lake.
  • 鸳鸯，。
    Tā men liǎ jiù xiàng yí duì yuān yang, xíng yǐng bù lí.
    They are like a pair of lovebirds, inseparable.
  • ，鸳鸯。
    Zài zhōng guó wén huà zhōng, yuān yang xiàng zhēng měi hǎo de ài qíng.
    In Chinese culture, mandarin ducks symbolize beautiful love.

Origin

Single-morpheme word
构词法gòucífǎ
联绵liánmiánBound pair

Two characters that only ever appear together, spelling one ancient two-syllable word.

鸳yuān
鸯yāng

In 鸳鸯, 鸳 and 鸯 do not carry separate meanings; together they name the mandarin duck.

Sound-only characters

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 鴛; 鸳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鳥鳥niǎobird
Sound part声符shēngfú
夗
夗wǎn鴛yuān
Same sound today

The traditional form 鴛 has 夗 as a sound part and 鳥 for a bird; the simplified 鸳 is a shorthand.

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 鴦; 鸯 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鳥鳥niǎobird
Sound part声符shēngfú
央
央yāng鴦
Same sound today

The traditional form 鴦 has 鳥, meaning bird, and 央 (yāng), giving the sound; the simplified 鸯 is a later shorthand.

Appears in
BirdsRomance & Marriage

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