圆舞曲 (yuán wǔ qǔ) — waltz

Definition

noun
waltz
Measure word · 首

Examples

  • 圆舞曲。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù xǐ huan tiào yuán wǔ qǔ.
    She has loved dancing the waltz since she was a child.
  • 圆舞曲。
    Zhè shǒu yuán wǔ qǔ de xuán lǜ fēi cháng yōu měi.
    The melody of this waltz is very beautiful.
  • ，圆舞曲。
    Zài yīn yuè huì shàng, tā men yǎn zòu le jǐ shǒu jīng diǎn de yuán wǔ qǔ.
    At the concert, they played several classic waltzes.

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.

圆舞round dance
圆yuánround舞wǔdance
偏正Modifier + head
曲qǔtune

A “曲” tune for a “圆舞” round dance gives the name for waltz.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 圓; 圆 is its simplified writing.

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.

Open 圆 →

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
舛舛chuǎnsteps, feet in convergent direction
Sound part声符shēngfú
無
無wú舞wǔ
Same sound today

舞 combines 舛, showing feet in converging steps, with 無 above. 無 gave the sound and also preserved its older meaning of dancing, so the shape points to dancing.

Open 舞 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

曲 is drawn as a bent object, matching the meaning 'bend'.

Open 曲 →

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