泥鳅 (ní qiū) — loach (a small freshwater fish, especially the weather loach Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)

Definition

noun
loach (a small freshwater fish, especially the weather loach Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 泥鳅。
    Chí táng lǐ yǒu hěn duō ní qiū.
    There are many loaches in the pond.
  • 泥鳅。
    Zhè dào cài yòng de shì xīn xiān de ní qiū.
    This dish uses fresh loach.
  • 泥鳅。
    ní qiū Xǐ huan zuàn zài ní lǐ.
    Loaches like to burrow in the mud.

Origin

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.

泥nímud
鳅qiūloach

泥 means mud and 鳅 means loach; together they name a small freshwater fish that lives in muddy water.

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
尼
尼ní泥nì
Same sound today

The left side is 氵, the water part; the right side is 尼, which gives the sound.

Open 泥 →

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 鰍; 鳅 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
魚魚yú
Sound part声符shēngfú
秋
秋qiū鰍
Same sound today

The traditional form 鰍 is built from 魚 and 秋: 魚 is associated with the meaning and 秋 with the sound. This note describes 鰍, not the parts of 鳅.

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