激浪 (jī làng) — turbulent waves; breakers; surf

Definition

noun

turbulent wavesbreakerssurf

Measure word · 阵

激浪。
Hǎi shàng de jī làng pāi dǎ zhe yán shí.
The turbulent waves on the sea beat against the rocks.
激浪。
Chuán zài jī làng zhōng jiān nán qián xíng.
The ship struggled forward through the turbulent waves.
激浪。
Tā xǐ huan kàn jī làng chōng xiàng àn biān.
He likes to watch the breakers rush toward the shore.

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.

激jīsurging

"激" surging and "浪" wave combine to mean turbulent breakers.

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.

氵敫激

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

敫

敫jiǎo激jī

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

In 激, the 氵 side marks water, and 敫 gives the sound jiǎo; the original sense is water swashing.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

良

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

浪 pairs 水 (water) with 良, which supplies the sound. The water part points to its meaning of waves.