明治 (Míng zhì) — Meiji (Japanese era name, 1868–1912) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

Meiji (Japanese era name, 1868–1912)

Examples

明治。
Míng zhì Wéi xīn shì rì běn lì shǐ shàng yí cì zhòng yào de gǎi gé.
The Meiji Restoration was an important reform in Japanese history.
明治。
Míng zhì Shí dài de rì běn kāi shǐ xué xí xī fāng jì shù.
During the Meiji period, Japan began to learn Western technology.
明治。
Zhè méi yìng bì shì Míng zhì nián jiān zhù zào de.
This coin was minted during the Meiji era.

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.

治zhìgovernance

明治 joins 明, bright or clear, with 治, governance or order, to suggest a bright, well-ordered reign.

Characters in this word

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

日月明

日日rìsun
月月yuèmoon

明 combines 日 (sun) and 月 (moon), showing the sun just rising while the moon has not yet set, or two bright objects in the sky, to express brightness.

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

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

台

台tái治zhì

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

治 has 水 (water) and 台; 台 gives the sound, and the character named a river.

Appears in

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