海产 (hǎi chǎn) — marine products; seafood

Definition

noun

marine productsseafood

Measure word · 种

海产。
Zhè ge dì qū de hǎi chǎn fēi cháng fēng fù.
The marine products in this region are very abundant.
海产。
Chāo shì lǐ mài de hǎi chǎn dōu hěn xīn xiān.
The seafood sold in the supermarket is all very fresh.
海产。
Tā men gōng sī zhǔ yào jīng yíng hǎi chǎn jiā gōng.
Their company mainly handles the processing of marine products.

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.

产chǎnproduce; product

海 means sea and 产 means produce or product; together they denote sea produce.

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.

氵每海

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

每

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.

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 產; 产 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

生生shēngto be born

Sound part声符shēngfú

彥

彥yàn產chǎn

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

The traditional form 產 pairs 生, "to be born," with 彥 as a sound part; the simplified 产 is a shorthand.