法 (fǎ) — law; method, way
Definition
法 (fǎ) is the short, common form meaning 'law' or 'method.' 法律 is the fuller, more formal word for 'law' (a system of rules); 法 here is often part of compounds like 方法.
noun
lawmethodway
Measure word · 个
Easily confused
Examples
- 。Měi gè guó jiā dōu yǒu zì jǐ de fǎ lǜ.Every country has its own laws.
- 。Zhè zhǒng fāng fǎ hěn hǎo.This method is very good.
- 。Tā de fāng fǎ hé wǒ bù yí yàng.His method is different from mine.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.
Appears in
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