模特 (mó tè) — model (person who poses for art, fashion, or photography)

Definition

noun
model (person who poses for art, fashion, or photography)
Measure word ·

Examples

  • 模特
    Zhè wèi mó tè zài tái shàng zǒu le yì quān, dà jiā dōu gǔ zhǎng le.
    This model walked across the stage, and everyone applauded.
  • 模特
    Měi shù kè shàng, tóng xué men duì zhe mó tè huà sù miáo.
    In art class, the students drew sketches from the model.
  • 模特
    Tā shì yì míng zhí yè mó tè, jīng cháng gěi zá zhì pāi zhào piàn.
    She is a professional model who often takes photos for magazines.

Origin

Single-morpheme word
构词法gòucífǎ
音译yīnyìTransliteration

The characters spell the sound of a foreign word; their individual meanings play no part.

In 模特, 模 and 特 only spell the borrowed sound and do not contribute meanings of their own.

Sound-only characters

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
tree
Sound part声符shēngfú
Same sound today

The left part 木 is tree; the right part 莫 gives the sound.

Open 模 →

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

The shape combines 牛 (ox) with 寺, which gives the pronunciation; it originally meant a large bull.

Open 特 →

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