环状 (huán zhuàng) — (attributive) annular, ring-shaped

Definition

adjective

(attributive) annularring-shaped

环状。
Zhè ge líng jiàn de jié gòu shì huán zhuàng de.
The structure of this part is annular.
环状。
Kǎo gǔ xué jiā fā xiàn le yí gè huán zhuàng de zhuāng shì pǐn.
Archaeologists discovered a ring-shaped ornament.
环状。
Zhè zhǒng zhí wù de yè zi shì huán zhuàng pái liè de.
The leaves of this plant are arranged in a ring.

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.

环 gives ring, 状 gives shape; together they mean having the shape of a ring.

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 環; 环 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

玉玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

睘

睘qióng環huán

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

The traditional form 環 pairs 玉 (jade) with a sound part; the simplified 环 is a shorthand and its right side is not the historical sound part.

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 狀; 状 is its simplified writing.

爿犬狀

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

爿

爿pán狀zhuàng

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

The traditional form 狀 pairs 犬 (dog) with 爿 as a sound component; the simplified 状 is a shorthand, not the historical shape.