救生圈 (jiù shēng juān) — life buoy, life ring

Definition

noun

life buoylife ring

Measure word · 个

救生圈。
Tā zài hǎi biān zhǎo dào le yí gè jiù shēng juān.
He found a life buoy at the beach.
救生圈。
Yóu yǒng de shí hou yí dìng yào dài shàng jiù shēng juān.
When swimming, be sure to bring a life buoy.
救生圈。
Chuán shàng yǒu shí gè jiù shēng juān.
There are ten life buoys on the boat.

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.

救生life-saving

动宾Verb + object

救 (save) and 生 (life) make 'life-saving', which describes 圈 (ring).

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

攴攴pū

Sound part声符shēngfú

求

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

In 救, 求 gives the sound, and 攴 is the action part.

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

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

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

囗卷圈

Meaning part形符xíngfú

囗囗wéi

Sound part声符shēngfú

卷

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

圈 is made of the outer 囗, an enclosure shape, and the inner 卷, which gives the sound.