黑猩猩 (hēi xīng xīng) — chimpanzee (also used for bonobo in some contexts)

Definition

noun
chimpanzee (also used for bonobo in some contexts)
Measure word ·

Examples

  • 黑猩猩
    hēi xīng xīng Shì xiàn cún rén lèi de jìn qīn zhī yī.
    Chimpanzees are one of the closest living relatives of humans.
  • 黑猩猩
    Dòng wù yuán lǐ de hēi xīng xīng zhèng zài yòng shù zhī zhuā mǎ yǐ.
    The chimpanzee in the zoo is using a twig to catch ants.
  • 黑猩猩
    Kē xué jiā tōng guò guān chá hēi xīng xīng de xíng wéi lái yán jiū rén lèi shè huì qǐ yuán.
    Scientists study the origins of human society by observing chimpanzee behavior.

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.

hēiblack

The 黑 (black) and 猩猩 (ape) combine to name a chimpanzee.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 黑 seems to come from drawing a head marked with dots, usually read as facial tattoos.

Open 黑 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 猩 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 猩 →

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