尼加拉瀑布 (ní jiā lā pù bù) — Niagara Falls (Taiwan usage)

Definition

noun
Niagara Falls (Taiwan usage)
Measure word · 座

Examples

  • 尼加拉瀑布。
    Míng nián wǒ men dǎ suàn qù ní jiā lā pù bù lǚ yóu.
    We plan to travel to Niagara Falls next year.
  • 尼加拉瀑布。
    ní jiā lā pù bù Shì běi měi zuì zhuàng guān de pù bù zhī yī.
    Niagara Falls is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in North America.
  • 尼加拉瀑布？
    Nǐ zhī dào ní jiā lā pù bù wèi yú nǎ ge zhōu ma?
    Do you know which state Niagara Falls is located in?

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape draws one person sitting on or leaning against another person, giving the sense of stopping close to someone.

Open 尼 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

加 pairs 力 and 口. In one explanation 力 is strength and 口 is the mouth, meaning exaggeration; in another 力 is plowing effort and 口 is breath or exclamation, meaning extra effort.

Open 加 →

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
立
立lì拉lā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拉 pairs 手 (hand) with 立, a component that supplies the sound.

Open 拉 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
暴
暴bào瀑pù
Same sound today

In 瀑, the left side 氵 is water, and the right side 暴 gives the sound bào; together they write the word for waterfall.

Open 瀑 →

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
巾巾jīnkerchief
Sound part声符shēngfú
父
父fù布bù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

布 pairs 巾, a kerchief, with 父 as a sound part.

Open 布 →

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