沿海 (yán hǎi) — coastal area; coast | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Refers to a coastal area or region — usually an adjective modifying a place (沿海地区 'coastal area'), not the shoreline itself. Compare 海岸 (the physical coast/seashore) and 海滨 (seaside as a destination).

noun

coastal areacoast

Measure word · 片

Examples

沿海。
yán hǎi Dì qū de qì hòu bǐ jiào shī rùn.
The climate in coastal areas is relatively humid.
沿海。
Zhè tiáo gōng lù yán zhe yán hǎi xiū jiàn.
This highway was built along the coast.
沿海。
yán hǎi Chéng shì xī yǐn le dà liàng yóu kè.
Coastal cities attract a large number of tourists.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

沿yánalong; follow

海hǎisea

“沿海” puts “沿” (along) and “海” (sea) together to mean by the sea.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

㕣

㕣㕣沿yán

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

沿 pairs 氵 (water) with 㕣, which shows how it was pronounced; it originally meant the edge of a river, which led to the sense of moving along something.

Open 沿 →

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

氵每海

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

每

每měi海hǎi

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

海 pairs 氵 (water) with 每, which gives the sound. The 氵 side shows it is about water.

Open 海 →

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