寄居蟹 (jì jū xiè) — hermit crab | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

hermit crab

Measure word · 只

Examples

寄居蟹。
jì jū xiè Shì yì zhǒng shēng huó zài hǎi lǐ de jiǎ qiào dòng wù.
The hermit crab is a type of crustacean that lives in the sea.
寄居蟹。
Xiǎo péng yǒu men zài shā tān shàng fā xiàn le yì zhī jì jū xiè.
The children found a hermit crab on the beach.
寄居蟹。
jì jū xiè Huì huàn ké lái bǎo hù zì jǐ róu ruǎn de shēn tǐ.
Hermit crabs change shells to protect their soft bodies.

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.

寄居lodge/reside

寄jìlodge居jūreside

联合Side by side

寄居 (lodge/reside) describes 蟹 (crab), for a crab living in borrowed shells.

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.

宀奇寄

Meaning part形符xíngfú

宀宀miánhouse

Sound part声符shēngfú

奇

奇qí寄jì

Same sound today

The 宀 part shows a roof, and 奇 gives the sound. Together they point to staying or lodging away from home.

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

尸古居

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

古

古gǔ居jū

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

居 is built from 尸 as the meaning part and 古 (gǔ) as the sound part.

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

解虫蟹

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

解

解jiě蟹xiè

Same sound today

蟹 pairs 虫, which points to a creature, with 解, which gives the sound.

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