游轮 (yóu lún) — cruise ship | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A large passenger ship used for leisure cruises and vacations, larger than a 渡轮 (ferry). Use 艘 as the measure word.

noun

cruise ship

Measure word · 艘

Examples

游轮。
Wǒ men zuò yóu lún qù lǚ xíng.
We take a cruise ship to travel.
游轮，。
Zhè ge yóu lún hěn dà, kě yǐ zhù yì qiān gè rén.
This cruise ship is very big; it can accommodate a thousand people.
游轮。
Wǒ xiǎng hé jiā rén zài yóu lún shàng guò xīn nián.
I want to spend New Year on a cruise ship with my family.

Origin

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.

游 suggests cruising and 轮 suggests a ship, so 游轮 means a cruise ship.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

斿

斿yóu游yóu

Same sound today

游 combines 水 (water) with 斿, which gives the sound yóu and also relates to travelling.

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 輪; 轮 is its simplified writing.

車侖輪

Meaning part形符xíngfú

車車jūcarriage

Sound part声符shēngfú

侖

侖lún輪lún

Same sound today

The traditional form 輪 uses 車, a carriage, and 侖 for the sound; the simplified 轮 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

Boats & Water Travel

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