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中华 (Zhōng huá) — China (formal/classical name)

Definition

中华 (Zhōnghuá) is the formal, literary name for China. Use 中国 in everyday speech; 中华 appears chiefly in writing, cultural references (中华文化, 中华民族), and fixed names.

noun
China (formal/classical name)

Examples

  • 中华。
    Zhōng huá Wén huà fēi cháng fēng fù.
    Chinese culture is very rich.
  • 中华。
    Zhōng huá Měi shí zài quán shì jiè dōu hěn yǒu míng.
    Chinese cuisine is famous all over the world.
  • 中华。
    Wǒ men xué xí Zhōng huá lì shǐ.
    We study Chinese history.

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.

中zhōngcentral
华huásplendid

中 ('central') points to 华 ('splendid'), giving the formal name for China.

Characters in this word

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

The original picture showed a flagpole with a drum in the middle, set up in the center of a field.

Open 中 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 華; 华 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 華 showed flowers on a plant, with stalk and leaves below. The simplified 华 is a later shorthand and not the original picture.

Open 华 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5

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