鹅卵石 (é luǎn shí) — cobblestone; pebble

Definition

noun

cobblestonepebble

Measure word · 块

鹅卵石。
Huā yuán lǐ de xiǎo lù shì yòng é luǎn shí pū chéng de.
The path in the garden is paved with cobblestones.
鹅卵石。
Wǒ zài hé biān jiǎn le yì kē guāng huá de é luǎn shí.
I picked up a smooth pebble by the river.
鹅卵石。
Zhè ge yú gāng lǐ fàng le yì xiē cǎi sè é luǎn shí.
This fish tank has some colorful pebbles in it.

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.

鹅卵goose egg

偏正Modifier + head

A 石 shaped like a 鹅卵, hence a smooth cobblestone.

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 鵝; 鹅 is its simplified writing.

我鳥鵝

Meaning part形符xíngfú

鳥鳥niǎo

Sound part声符shēngfú

我

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

In the traditional form 鵝, 鳥 shows it is a bird and 我 gives the sound; the simplified 鹅 is a later shorthand, not the historical shape.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

卵 comes from a picture of eggs or spawn.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 石 shows a stone under a cliff-like overhang, or a cave set into a cliff side.

Appears in