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牵牛花 (qiān niú huā) — morning glory (flower, Ipomoea species)

Definition

noun
morning glory (flower, Ipomoea species)
Measure word · 朵

Examples

  • 牵牛花。
    Yuàn zi lǐ zhǒng le yì zhū qiān niú huā.
    A morning glory was planted in the yard.
  • 牵牛花。
    qiān niú huā De téng wàn pá mǎn le lí ba.
    The morning glory vines crawled all over the fence.
  • 牵牛花。
    Zhè xiē qiān niú huā měi tiān qīng chén dōu huì kāi huā.
    These morning glories bloom every morning.

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.

牵牛lead an ox
牵qiānlead牛niúox
动宾Verb + object
花huāflower

牵牛, lead an ox, combines with 花, flower, naming a flower tied to that ox-leading image.

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 牽; 牵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
牛牛niúcow, ox
Sound part声符shēngfú
玄
玄xuán牽qiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 牽 is built from 玄 and 牛, an ox, giving the picture of leading an ox by hand. The simplified 牵 is a later shorthand.

Open 牵 →

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

牛 is drawn as a bull's head, with two horns and two ears.

Open 牛 →

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
化
化huà花
Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

Open 花 →
Appears in
Plants & Flowers

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