圣马可 (shèng mǎ kě) — St. Mark (place name, e.g., St. Mark's Basilica…

Definition

noun

St. Mark (place name, e.g., St. Mark's Basilica or St. Mark's Square in Venice)

圣马可。
Wǒ men míng tiān qù shèng mǎ kě guǎng chǎng.
We'll go to St. Mark's Square tomorrow.
圣马可。
shèng mǎ kě Dà jiào táng shì wēi ní sī zuì zhù míng de jiàn zhù zhī yī.
St. Mark's Basilica is one of the most famous buildings in Venice.
圣马可。
Wǒ zài shèng mǎ kě fù jìn pāi le hěn duō zhào piàn.
I took many photos near St. Mark's.

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.

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

丂

丂kǎo可kě

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

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.