浇灌 (jiāo guàn) — to water (plants), to irrigate | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

verb

to water (plants)to irrigate

Examples

浇灌。
Nóng mín měi tiān dōu yào jiāo guàn tián dì.
Farmers have to water the fields every day.
浇灌。
Zhè xiē huā xū yào jīng cháng jiāo guàn.
These flowers need to be watered often.
浇灌。
Tā yòng guǎn zi jiāo guàn cài yuán.
He waters the vegetable garden with a hose.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

浇jiāopour water

灌guànirrigate

Pouring 浇 and irrigating 灌 work together to mean watering plants.

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 澆; 浇 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

堯

堯yáo澆jiāo

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

The traditional form 澆 pairs 水 (water) with 堯 as a sound part; the simplified 浇 is a shorthand.

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

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

雚

雚guàn灌guàn

Same sound today

灌 pairs its water part with 雚, which gives the character its sound.

Appears in

Agriculture & Farming

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