伞状 (sǎn zhuàng) — umbrella-shaped; umbrella-like (used as an attributive adjective before nouns)

Definition

adjective
umbrella-shapedumbrella-like (used as an attributive adjective before nouns)

Examples

  • 伞状。
    Zhè ge jiàn zhù yǒu yí gè sǎn zhuàng wū dǐng.
    This building has an umbrella-shaped roof.
  • 伞状。
    Chéng shì guǎng chǎng de sǎn zhuàng shè jì hěn tè bié.
    The umbrella-shaped design of the city square is very special.
  • 伞状。
    Zhè ge sǎn zhuàng jié gòu kě yǐ fáng yǔ.
    This umbrella-shaped structure can keep out rain.

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.

伞sǎnumbrella
状zhuàngshape

伞状 puts 伞 (umbrella) together with 状 (shape), so it means shaped like an umbrella.

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 傘; 伞 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 傘 is drawn like an umbrella. The simplified 伞 is a later shorthand, not the original drawing.

Open 伞 →

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 狀; 状 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犬犬quǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
爿
爿pán狀zhuàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 狀 pairs 犬 (dog) with 爿 as a sound component; the simplified 状 is a shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 状 →

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