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瑞典语 (ruì diǎn yǔ) — Swedish (language)

Definition

noun
Swedish (language)

Examples

  • 瑞典语。
    Wǒ zhèng zài xué xí ruì diǎn yǔ.
    I am studying Swedish.
  • 瑞典语。
    ruì diǎn yǔ Shì yì zhǒng běi ōu yǔ yán.
    Swedish is a North Germanic language.
  • 瑞典语？
    Nǐ néng shuō ruì diǎn yǔ ma?
    Can you speak Swedish?

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.

瑞典Sweden
瑞ruì典diǎn
音译Transliteration
语yǔlanguage

瑞典 names Sweden and 语 means language, so it denotes the language of Sweden.

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
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
耑
耑zhuān瑞ruì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

瑞 pairs 玉, meaning jade, with 耑, which gives its sound.

Open 瑞 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 冊冊cèbooks
  • 丌丌qítable

典 puts 冊 (books) on a 丌 (table), showing official books resting on a table.

Open 典 →

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 語; 语 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
吾
吾wú語yǔ
Same sound today

The form 語 pairs 言 (speech) with 吾, which gives the sound; this note is about 語, not 语.

Open 语 →
Appears in
Language

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