龟裂 (jūn liè) — to crack (of parched earth); to chap (of skin)

Definition

Literary/formal verb meaning to crack open from dryness — used for parched earth and chapped skin. In everyday speech, 裂 or 干裂 is more common.

verb
to crack (of parched earth)to chap (of skin)

Examples

  • 龟裂。
    Gān hàn de tián dì jūn liè liè le.
    The dry farmland has cracked.
  • 龟裂。
    Dōng tiān pí fū róng yì jūn liè liè.
    Skin easily chaps in winter.
  • 龟裂。
    Zhè zhǒng yào gāo kě yǐ zhì liáo jūn liè liè de pí fū.
    This ointment can heal chapped skin.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

龟guīcrack
裂lièsplit

Both 龟 and 裂 convey cracking, so the word describes earth or skin splitting open.

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 龜; 龟 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 龜 came from a drawing of a turtle seen from the side and above; the simplified 龟 is a later abbreviation.

Open 龟 →

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
衣衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
列
列liè裂liè
Same sound today

裂 combines 衣 (clothes) with 列 for the sound. The picture of 列 shows bones cut by a blade and lined up, and the whole writes the idea of cutting and tearing clothes.

Open 裂 →

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