焰火 (yàn huǒ) — fireworks | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

fireworks

Measure word · 个

Examples

焰火。
Chú xī yè wǒ men quán jiā yì qǐ fàng yàn huǒ.
On New Year's Eve, our whole family sets off fireworks together.
焰火，。
yàn huǒ Zài yè kōng zhōng zhàn fàng, měi lì jí le.
The fireworks bloomed in the night sky, extremely beautiful.
焰火。
Zhè chǎng yàn huǒ biǎo yǎn chí xù le bàn gè xiǎo shí.
This fireworks show lasted half an hour.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

焰 means flame and 火 means fire, so the idea is fireworks.

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.

火臽焰

Meaning part形符xíngfú

火火huǒfire

Sound part声符shēngfú

臽

臽xiàn焰

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

焰 combines 火, meaning fire, with 臽, which provides the sound.

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

火 is a simple drawing of a fire, with flames shown rising upward.

Appears in

Miscellaneous Objects

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