动物园 (dòng wù yuán) — zoo | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

动物园 is the place where animals are kept and shown to the public. 动物 by itself just means 'animal' — add 园 (garden/park) to get the place you visit.

noun

zoo

Measure word · 个

Examples

动物园。
Wǒ men zhōu mò qù dòng wù yuán ba.
Let's go to the zoo on the weekend.
动物园。
Zhè ge dòng wù yuán lǐ yǒu yì zhī dà xióng māo.
There is a giant panda in this zoo.
动物园。
Hái zi men hěn xǐ huan qù dòng wù yuán.
The children really like going to the zoo.

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.

动物animal

动dòngmoving物wùthing

偏正Modifier + head

动物园: 动物 plus 园, a 园 for animals.

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

重力動

Meaning part形符xíngfú

力力lìstrength

Sound part声符shēngfú

重

重zhòng動dòng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

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

牛勿物

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

勿

勿wù物wù

Same sound today

物 puts 牛 beside 勿: 牛 gives the meaning, and 勿 gives the sound.

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

囗元园

Meaning part形符xíngfú

囗囗wéi

Sound part声符shēngfú

元

元yuán园yuán

Same sound today

In 园, 元 sits inside 囗, and 元 gives the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 3 Animals & Mammals

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