北达科他州 (Běi Dá kē tā zhōu) — North Dakota (US state)

Definition

noun
North Dakota (US state)

Examples

  • 北达科他州。
    Wǒ lái zì Běi Dá kē tā zhōu.
    I come from North Dakota.
  • 北达科他州。
    Běi Dá kē tā zhōu Wèi yú měi guó zhōng xī bù.
    North Dakota is located in the Midwest United States.
  • 北达科他州。
    Qù nián shǔ jià wǒ qù le Běi Dá kē tā zhōu lǚ xíng.
    Last summer vacation I traveled to North Dakota.

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The form 北 shows two people standing back to back. It originally meant 'back'.

Open 北 →

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
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
大
大dà达dá
Same sound today

This form 达 pairs 辶 (written in full as 辵) with 大 as a sound component.

Open 达 →

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
斗斗dòumeasuring tool
Sound part声符shēngfú
禾
禾hé科kē
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

科 pairs 禾, which gives the hé sound, with 斗, a measuring tool.

Open 科 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě他tā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

他 combines 亻 (a person) with 也, which was chosen for its sound.

Open 他 →

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

州 originally drew an islet in a river.

Open 州 →

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