新郎官 (xīn láng guān) — bridegroom

Definition

noun
bridegroom
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 新郎官，。
    Jīn tiān xīn láng guān chuān zhuó xī zhuāng, fēi cháng shuài qì.
    Today the bridegroom is wearing a suit and looks very handsome.
  • 新郎官。
    Xīn niáng hé xīn láng guān zài hūn lǐ shàng jiāo huàn le jiè zhi.
    The bride and the bridegroom exchanged rings at the wedding.
  • 新郎官。
    xīn láng guān Zhèng zài mén kǒu yíng jiē kè rén.
    The bridegroom is greeting guests at the door.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

新郎bridegroom
新xīnnew郎lánggroom
偏正Modifier + head
官guānhonorific sense

新郎 means 'bridegroom', and 官 adds a respectful tone from 'official'.

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.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斤斤jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
辛
辛xīn新xīn
Same sound today

The shape originally paired 斤, for chopping wood, with 辛 for sound. It was borrowed for its sound to write 新, so the chopping-wood parts are unrelated to 'new'.

Open 新 →

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
邑邑yìcounty; town
Sound part声符shēngfú
良
良liáng郎láng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

郎 combines 良, which gives the sound, with 邑, meaning county or town.

Open 郎 →

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

  • 宀宀mián
  • 𠂤𠂤𠂤

官 pairs 宀, a roof, with 𠂤, rooms beneath it, to depict an official building.

Open 官 →

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