独立国家 (dú lì guó jiā) — independent country, sovereign state

Definition

noun
independent countrysovereign state
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 独立国家。
    Shì jiè shàng yǒu hěn duō dú lì guó jiā.
    There are many independent countries in the world.
  • 独立国家。
    Zhè ge dú lì guó jiā yǐ jīng jiàn guó yì bǎi nián le.
    This independent country has been founded for a hundred years.
  • 独立国家。
    Měi gè dú lì guó jiā dōu yǒu quán jué dìng zì jǐ de zhèng cè.
    Every independent country has the right to decide its own policies.

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.

独立independent
独dúalone立lìstand
偏正Modifier + head
国家country
国guóstate家jiāfamily
联合Side by side

独立 describes a country that stands alone, and 国家 names a state.

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 獨; 独 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犭Written in full as犬quǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
蜀
蜀shǔ獨dú
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 獨 pairs 犬 (dog) with 蜀, which gives the sound; the simplified 独 is a shorthand.

Open 独 →

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

立 pictures a person standing on the ground.

Open 立 →

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 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéiclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò國guó
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Open 国 →

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢑓
𢑓𢑓家jiā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The early drawing of 家 showed a roof 宀 over a male-pig sign 𢑓 that gave the pronunciation; the lower part later changed shape.

Open 家 →

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