天蛾 (tiān é) — hawk moth, sphinx moth (family Sphingidae)

Definition

noun

hawk mothsphinx moth (family Sphingidae)

Measure word · 只

Easily confused

天蛾。
Wǒ zài huā yuán lǐ kàn dào le yì zhī tiān é.
I saw a hawk moth in the garden.
天蛾。
tiān é Xǐ huan zài wǎn shàng chū lái huó dòng.
Hawk moths like to come out and be active at night.
天蛾。
tiān é De chì bǎng shàng yǒu fēi cháng piào liang de huā wén.
The wings of a hawk moth have very beautiful patterns.

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.

天 sky + 蛾 moth: a moth of the sky.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

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

The shape comes from a frontal standing man 大 with a head; 天 pairs 大 with 丁 for sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

虫我蛾

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

我

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

The shape of 蛾 combines 虫, an insect, with 我, which gives the sound.