标点符号 (biāo diǎn fú hào) — punctuation (mark) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

punctuation (mark)

Examples

，标点符号。
Xiě wén zhāng de shí hou, biāo diǎn fú hào hěn zhòng yào.
When writing articles, punctuation is very important.
标点符号。
Tā měi gè biāo diǎn fú hào dōu yòng dé hěn zhǔn què.
He uses every punctuation mark very accurately.
标点符号。
Hàn yǔ de biāo diǎn fú hào hé yīng yǔ de yǒu xiē bù tóng.
Chinese punctuation and English punctuation are a bit different.

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.

标点punctuation marks

标biāomark点diǎndot

联合Side by side

符号symbols

符fúsymbol号hàomark

联合Side by side

标点, covering marks and dots, narrows 符号 to written punctuation symbols.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 標; 标 is its simplified writing.

木票標

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

票

票piào標biāo

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

The traditional form 標 pairs 木 with 票, and 票 gives the sound; the simplified 标 is the modern form of that traditional character.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

黑占點

Meaning part形符xíngfú

黑黑hēiblack

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn點diǎn(r)

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

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

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

𥫗付符

Meaning part形符xíngfú

𥫗Written in full as竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

付

付fù符fú

Same sound today

符 puts the bamboo form 竹, written 𥫗 on top, above 付, which gives the sound.

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

口丂号

口口kǒumouth
丂丂kǎoexhaled air; a tiger's cry

The shape 号 comes from 口, a mouth, and 丂, exhaled air or a tiger's cry.

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