海星 (hǎi xīng) — starfish, sea star | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

starfishsea star

Measure word · 只

海星。
Wǒ zài hǎi biān kàn dào le yì zhī hǎi xīng.
I saw a starfish at the seaside.
海星。
Zhè zhǒng hǎi xīng yǒu wǔ tiáo gē bo.
This kind of starfish has five arms.
海星。
hǎi xīng Shì hǎi yáng shēng tài xì tǒng de zhòng yào zǔ chéng bù fen.
Starfish are an important part of the marine ecosystem.

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.

海 (sea) and 星 (star) combine to mean a sea star.

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.

The top of 星 is a later simplified form of 晶, twinkling stars; the bottom 生 shows the sound.

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