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右眼 (yòu yǎn) — right eye

Definition

noun
right eye
Measure word · 只

Examples

  • 右眼。
    Tā de yòu yǎn yǒu diǎn hóng.
    His right eye is a little red.
  • 右眼。
    Tā zhǐ néng kào yòu yǎn kàn dōng xī.
    She can only see with her right eye.
  • 右眼。
    Yī shēng jiǎn chá le wǒ de yòu yǎn.
    The doctor checked my right eye.

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.

右yòuright
眼yǎneye

右眼 means 右 (right) and 眼 (eye) together as the right eye.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
又
又yòu右yòu
Same sound today

右 is made from 又, which supplied the sound, with 口 added as a distinguishing mark.

Open 右 →

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
目目mùeye
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn眼yǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

眼 combines 目, which is an eye, with 艮, which gives the character's sound.

Open 眼 →
Appears in
Body Parts

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