刘海 (liú hǎi) — bangs, fringe (hairstyle); Liu Hai (a Daoist im…

Definition

Two unrelated meanings: the everyday word for 'bangs / fringe' (haircut), and the name of 刘海, a Daoist immortal in Chinese legend.

noun

bangsfringe (hairstyle)Liu Hai (a Daoist immortal)

Measure word · 缕

刘海，。
Tā de liú hǎi hěn cháng, zhē zhù le yǎn jing.
Her bangs are very long, covering her eyes.
，刘海。
Chuán shuō zhōng, liú hǎi shì yí wèi shén xiān.
In legend, Liu Hai is an immortal.
刘海。
Nǐ qù lǐ fà diàn jiǎn gè liú hǎi ba.
Go to the barbershop and get bangs cut.

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 劉; 刘 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

刂Written in full as刀dāoknife

Sound part声符shēngfú

卯

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

The traditional form 劉 pairs 金 (metal) with 刀 or 刂 (knife), with 卯 giving the sound; the simplified 刘 is a later shorthand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

氵每海

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

每

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

海 pairs 氵 (water) with 每, which gives the sound. The 氵 side shows it is about water.

Appears in