犹他州 (Yóu tā zhōu) — Utah (U.S. state)

Definition

noun
Utah (U.S. state)

Examples

  • 犹他州。
    Wǒ míng nián xiǎng qù Yóu tā zhōu lǚ yóu.
    I want to travel to Utah next year.
  • 犹他州。
    Yóu tā zhōu Wèi yú měi guó xī bù.
    Utah is located in the western United States.
  • 犹他州。
    Tā chū shēng zài Yóu tā zhōu de yí gè xiǎo chéng shì.
    He was born in a small city in Utah.

Origin

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 猶; 犹 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犬犬quǎndog
Sound part声符shēngfú
酋
酋qiú猶yóu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 猶 combines 犬 (dog) with 酋 as a sound part, and the evidence identifies it as a kind of monkey. The simplified 犹 is a shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 犹 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě他tā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

他 combines 亻 (a person) with 也, which was chosen for its sound.

Open 他 →

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

州 originally drew an islet in a river.

Open 州 →

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