圣诞 (Shèng dàn) — Christmas | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Borrowed from Christian tradition: 'Christmas' (the birthday of Jesus, Dec 25). Used in everyday terms like 圣诞节, 圣诞树, and 圣诞老人.

noun

Christmas

圣诞！
Zhù nín Shèng dàn kuài lè!
Wishing you a Merry Christmas!
圣诞。
Wǒ men zài Shèng dàn qián zhuāng shì le piào liang de Shèng dàn shù.
We decorated a beautiful Christmas tree before Christmas.
。
Hái zi men zuì xǐ huan Shèng dàn lǎo rén sòng de lǐ wù.
Children like gifts from Santa Claus the most.

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.

「圣」, holy, joins 「诞」, birth, to mean the holy birth, Christmas.

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 聖; 圣 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

呈

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

The traditional form 聖 puts 耳 (ear) beside 呈, which gives the sound; the simplified 圣 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical parts.

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 誕; 诞 is its simplified writing.

言延誕

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánword, speech

Sound part声符shēngfú

延

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

The traditional form 誕 combines 言 (word, speech) with 延, which gives the sound; the simplified 诞 is a later shorthand.

Appears in