日光浴 (rì guāng yù) — sunbath, sunbathing

Definition

noun
sunbathsunbathing
Measure word · 次

Examples

  • 日光浴。
    Wǒ zhōu mò xǐ huan qù hǎi tān zuò rì guāng yù.
    I like to go to the beach and take a sunbath on weekends.
  • 日光浴。
    Zuò rì guāng yù de shí hou yí dìng yào tú fáng shài shuāng.
    When taking a sunbath, be sure to apply sunscreen.
  • ，日光浴。
    Jīn tiān yáng guāng hěn hǎo, shì hé zuò rì guāng yù.
    The sunlight is good today, suitable for a sunbath.

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.

日光sunlight
日rìsun光guānglight
偏正Modifier + head
浴yùbath

日光 (sunlight) and 浴 (bath) together mean sunbath.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

日 originally drew the sun. A mark was added inside to tell it apart from similar square shapes.

Open 日 →

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

  • 火火huǒfire
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

The shape 光 places 火 (fire) above 卩 (a kneeling person), showing fire over the head and the shining of light.

Open 光 →

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
谷
谷gǔ浴yù
Same sound today

浴 shows 氵 (water) beside 谷, which gives the sound, for bathing in water.

Open 浴 →
Appears in
Fitness & ExerciseOutdoor Recreation

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