弧 (hú) — arc (segment of a circle); wooden bow

Definition

noun
arc (segment of a circle)wooden bow
Measure word · 道
Easily confused

Examples

  • 弧。
    Qǐng huà yì tiáo hú.
    Please draw an arc.
  • 弧。
    Yǔ hòu tiān kōng chū xiàn le yí dào měi lì de hú.
    After the rain, a beautiful arc appeared in the sky.
  • 弧，。
    Tā ná qǐ hú gōng, shè chū yì zhī jiàn.
    He picked up a bow and shot an arrow.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
弓弓gōngbow
Sound part声符shēngfú
瓜
瓜guā弧hú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

弧 uses 弓 (bow) to show a wooden bow or a curve like a bow, and 瓜 for the pronunciation.

Appears in
Shapes

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