瓷碗 (cí wǎn) — porcelain bowl

Definition

noun
porcelain bowl
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 瓷碗。
    Zhè ge cí wǎn shì yé ye cóng jǐng dé zhèn dài huí lái de.
    This porcelain bowl was brought back from Jingdezhen by Grandpa.
  • 瓷碗。
    Tā bù xiǎo xīn bǎ yí gè cí wǎn shuāi suì le.
    She accidentally dropped and shattered a porcelain bowl.
  • 瓷碗。
    Chú guì lǐ bǎi zhe yí tào jīng zhì de bái cí wǎn.
    A set of exquisite white porcelain bowls is displayed in the cabinet.

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.

瓷cíporcelain
碗wǎnbowl

瓷 says the 碗 is made of porcelain, distinguishing it from other bowls.

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
瓦瓦wǎearthenware
Sound part声符shēngfú
次
次cì瓷cí
Same sound today

瓷 is built from 次, giving its sound, and 瓦, meaning earthenware.

Open 瓷 →

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
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
宛
宛wǎn碗wǎn
Same sound today

碗 combines 石 (stone) with 宛. The 石 part relates to the meaning, and 宛 gives the sound.

Open 碗 →

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