唐老鸭 (Táng lǎo yā) — Donald Duck

Definition

noun
Donald Duck
Measure word · 只

Examples

  • 唐老鸭。
    Wǒ xiǎo shí hou tè bié xǐ huan kàn Táng lǎo yā.
    I really liked watching Donald Duck when I was little.
  • 唐老鸭，。
    Táng lǎo yā De pí qi bú tài hǎo, dàn shì hěn yǒu qù.
    Donald Duck's temper is not great, but he is very interesting.
  • 唐老鸭。
    Wǒ zuì xǐ huan de kǎ tōng jué sè jiù shì Táng lǎo yā.
    My favorite cartoon character is Donald Duck.

Origin

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kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
庚
庚gēng唐táng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

唐 pairs 庚, a picture of a hollow instrument, with 口 as a distinguishing mark; the shape is based on hollowness or openness.

Open 唐 →

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

The shape 老 combines 人 (man), 毛 (hair), and 匕 (cane), showing a man with long hair leaning on a cane.

Open 老 →

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 鴨; 鸭 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鳥鳥niǎobird
Sound part声符shēngfú
甲
甲jiǎ鴨yā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鴨 uses 甲 for its sound and 鳥 for bird; the simplified 鸭 is a shorthand.

Open 鸭 →

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