半圆 (bàn yuán) — semicircle | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

semicircle

Measure word · 个

半圆。
Qǐng huà yí gè bàn yuán.
Please draw a semicircle.
半圆。
Zhè ge bàn yuán xiàng yí gè yuè liang.
This semicircle looks like a moon.
半圆。
Wǒ men zài zhǐ shàng huà le yí gè bàn yuán.
We drew a semicircle on the paper.

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.

半 means half and 圆 means circle, so the whole names a half-circle.

Characters in this word

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

The shape pairs 八 (to divide) with 牛 (cow), showing a cow cut into two halves.

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 圓; 圆 is its simplified writing.

囗員圓

Meaning part形符xíngfú

囗囗wéi

Sound part声符shēngfú

員

員yuán圓yuán

Same sound today

This is about the traditional form 圓, not the simplified 圆. In 圓, 囗 surrounds 員, and the inner part of 員 is an old circle picture.