特拉华 (Tè lā huá) — Delaware (US state)

Definition

noun

Delaware (US state)

特拉华。
Tā zhù zài měi guó Tè lā huá.
He lives in Delaware, USA.
特拉华。
Xià ge yuè wǒ yào qù Tè lā huá chū chāi.
Next month I'm going to Delaware on a business trip.
特拉华。
Tè lā huá Shì měi guó dōng bù de yí gè zhōu.
Delaware is a state in the eastern United States.

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.

牛寺特

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

寺

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

The shape combines 牛 (ox) with 寺, which gives the pronunciation; it originally meant a large bull.

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

立

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

拉 pairs 手 (hand) with 立, a component that supplies the sound.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 華; 华 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 華 showed flowers on a plant, with stalk and leaves below. The simplified 华 is a later shorthand and not the original picture.