温驯 (wēn xùn) — docile, meek, tame (of animals or people)

Definition

adjective
docilemeektame (of animals or people)

Examples

  • 温驯，。
    Zhè zhī xiǎo gǒu fēi cháng wēn xùn, cóng lái bù yǎo rén.
    This puppy is very docile, never bites people.
  • 温驯，。
    Tā de xìng gé hěn wēn xùn, zǒng shì tīng bié rén de yì jiàn.
    Her personality is very meek, she always listens to others' opinions.
  • ，温驯。
    Zhè pǐ mǎ suī rán gāo dà, què shí fēn wēn xùn.
    This horse, though large, is very tame.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

温wēngentle
驯xùntame

温 means gentle and 驯 means tame, together describing docile behavior.

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 溫; 温 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 溫 is based on an older form 𥁕, which drew a person bathing in a container full of warm water. The simplified 温 is a later variant.

Open 温 →

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 馴; 驯 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎ
Sound part声符shēngfú
川
川chuān馴xùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 馴 uses 馬 (horse) for the meaning and 川 for the sound; the simplified 驯 is a later shorthand.

Open 驯 →

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