圣马力诺 (Shèng mǎ lì nuò) — San Marino

Definition

noun

San Marino

圣马力诺。
Shèng mǎ lì nuò Shì yí gè hěn xiǎo de ōu zhōu guó jiā.
San Marino is a very small European country.
圣马力诺。
Qù nián wǒ hé péng you qù Shèng mǎ lì nuò lǚ yóu le.
Last year I traveled to San Marino with a friend.
圣马力诺？
Nǐ zhī dào Shèng mǎ lì nuò de shǒu dū shì nǎ lǐ ma?
Do you know what the capital of San Marino is?

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.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 馬; 马 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 馬 shows a horse with its head facing left, a flowing mane, and two legs standing vertically.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

力 is drawn as either an arm bending out from the side of the body or a wooden plough.

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 諾; 诺 is its simplified writing.

言若諾

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánword, speak

Sound part声符shēngfú

若

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

The traditional form 諾 pairs 言, meaning word or speak, with 若 as a sound part, for an affirmative answer. The simplified 诺 is a later shorthand.