电鳗 (diàn mán) — electric eel | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

electric eel

Measure word · 条

Examples

电鳗。
diàn mán Shì yì zhǒng huì fàng diàn de yú.
The electric eel is a kind of fish that can discharge electricity.
电鳗。
Zài nán měi zhōu de hé liú lǐ kě yǐ kàn dào diàn mán.
Electric eels can be seen in the rivers of South America.
电鳗。
diàn mán Kě yǐ fā chū hěn qiáng de diàn liú.
The electric eel can emit a very strong electric current.

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.

电diànelectric

电 means electric and 鳗 means eel; together an eel that produces electricity.

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 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

雨雨yǔrain

Sound part声符shēngfú

申

申shēn電diàn

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

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

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 鰻; 鳗 is its simplified writing.

魚曼鰻

Meaning part形符xíngfú

魚魚yúfish

Sound part声符shēngfú

曼

曼màn鰻mán

Same sound today

In the traditional form 鰻, the left side 魚 shows it is a kind of fish, and the right side 曼 gives the sound. The simplified 鳗 is a later shorthand.

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