浅滩 (qiǎn tān) — shoal; shallows

Definition

A shallow area in a body of water, like a riverbed or coastal spot, where the water is not deep enough for boats. Typically used as a navigational hazard or a feature of the shoreline.

noun
shoalshallows
Measure word · 片

Examples

  • 浅滩。
    Chuán zài qiǎn tān fù jìn gē qiǎn le.
    The ship ran aground near the shoal.
  • 浅滩，。
    Zhè piàn qiǎn tān de shuǐ hěn qīng, néng kàn dào shuǐ dǐ de shí tou.
    The water in this shallows is very clear; you can see the stones at the bottom.
  • 浅滩，。
    Yú mín men zhī dào nǎ lǐ shì qiǎn tān, suǒ yǐ bú huì zài nà lǐ sā wǎng.
    The fishermen know where the shoals are, so they don't cast nets there.

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.

浅qiǎnshallow
滩tānsandbar

浅 (shallow) and 滩 (sandbar) combine to mean a shallow sandbar.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 淺; 浅 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
戔
戔jiān淺qiǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 淺 pairs 氵 (water) with 戔 to give the sound; 浅 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 浅 →

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 灘; 滩 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
難
難nán灘tān
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 灘, 氵 (water) marks the meaning and 難 gives the sound; the simplified 滩 is a shorthand.

Open 滩 →

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