喀麦隆 (Kā mài lóng) — Cameroon | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

Cameroon

喀麦隆。
Wǒ míng nián xiǎng qù Kā mài lóng lǚ yóu.
I want to travel to Cameroon next year.
喀麦隆。
Kā mài lóng Zài fēi zhōu xī bù.
Cameroon is in West Africa.
喀麦隆。
Tā de péng you lái zì Kā mài lóng.
His friend comes from Cameroon.

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.

口客喀

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

客

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

喀 pairs 口 (mouth) with 客, which gives the sound. The mouth part shows it is a sound made by the mouth.

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 麥; 麦 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

夊夊suīfootprint pointing down; to walk slowly

Sound part声符shēngfú

來

來lái麥mài

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

For 麦, the traditional form 麥 pairs 來, which gives the sound and once meant wheat, with 夊, a footprint pointing down for slow walking.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

降

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape of 隆 is made from 生 and 降, with 降 giving the sound; an older part was later dropped.