树蛙 (shù wā) — tree frog | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

tree frog

Measure word · 只

树蛙。
Wǒ zài shù lín lǐ kàn dào yì zhī shù wā.
I saw a tree frog in the woods.
树蛙。
Zhè zhǒng shù wā de pí fū shàng yǒu piào liang de huā wén.
This kind of tree frog has beautiful patterns on its skin.
树蛙。
shù wā Tōng cháng shēng huó zài cháo shī de rè dài yǔ lín lǐ.
Tree frogs usually live in moist tropical rainforests.

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.

树 is tree and 蛙 is frog, naming a frog that lives in trees.

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 樹; 树 is its simplified writing.

木尌樹

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

尌

尌shù樹shù

Same sound today

Originally 尌, 'to plant a tree', was written alone; the traditional form 樹 adds 木, 'tree', to it to differentiate.

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

虫圭蛙

Meaning part形符xíngfú

虫虫chónginsect; creature

Sound part声符shēngfú

圭

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

蛙 is built from 虫 (creature) and 圭, which gives the sound clue.