椭圆形 (tuǒ yuán xíng) — oval, ellipse

Definition

noun

ovalellipse

椭圆形。
Zhè zhāng zhuō zi de xíng zhuàng shì tuǒ yuán xíng de.
The shape of this table is oval.
椭圆形。
Dì qiú de guǐ dào shì yí gè tuǒ yuán xíng.
The Earth's orbit is an ellipse.
椭圆形。
Tā huà le yí gè tuǒ yuán xíng.
She drew an oval.

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.

椭圆oval

椭tuǒoval圆yuánround

偏正Modifier + head

椭圆 gives the oval quality, and 形 names the shape.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this 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 圓; 圆 is its simplified writing.

囗員圓

Meaning part形符xíngfú

囗囗wéi

Sound part声符shēngfú

員

員yuán圓yuán

Same sound today

This is about the traditional form 圓, not the simplified 圆. In 圓, 囗 surrounds 員, and the inner part of 員 is an old circle picture.

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

彡彡shān

Sound part声符shēngfú

井

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

形 is made from 彡 and 井, with 井 providing the sound.

Appears in