海象 (hǎi xiàng) — walrus | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

walrus

Measure word · 头

海象。
Dòng wù yuán lǐ de hǎi xiàng zhèng zài yóu yǒng.
The walrus in the zoo is swimming.
海象。
hǎi xiàng De yá chǐ fēi cháng cháng.
The walrus's tusks are very long.
海象。
Tā zài jì lù piàn lǐ kàn dào le hǎi xiàng.
He saw a walrus in the documentary.

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” means sea and “象” means elephant; together they name the sea elephant, a walrus.

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.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

象 is drawn as an elephant, with a long trunk, a head, and a big body.

Appears in