狂想曲 (kuáng xiǎng qǔ) — rhapsody; fantasia

Definition

noun

rhapsodyfantasia

Measure word · 首

狂想曲。
Zhè shǒu kuáng xiǎng qǔ chōng mǎn le làng màn zhǔ yì de sè cǎi.
This rhapsody is full of romanticism.
狂想曲。
Tā zài yīn yuè huì shàng yǎn zòu le yì shǒu kuáng xiǎng qǔ.
He performed a rhapsody at the concert.
狂想曲。
Zhè shǒu kuáng xiǎng qǔ róng hé le chuán tǒng yǔ xiàn dài de yuán sù.
This rhapsody blends traditional and modern elements.

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.

狂想wild fancy

偏正Modifier + head

“狂想” means wild fancy and “曲” means piece, forming a fantasia.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

犭Written in full as犬quǎndog

Sound part声符shēngfú

㞷

㞷㞷狂kuáng

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

狂 pairs 犭 (dog) with 㞷, which gives the sound; 㞷 is an old form of a character meaning 'to go'.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

相心想

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart, mind

Sound part声符shēngfú

相

Same sound today

想 has 心 (heart, mind) below 相 (to look at); the shape shows the mind looking at or considering something, and 相 also gives the sound.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

曲 is drawn as a bent object, matching the meaning 'bend'.