画廊 (huà láng) — art gallery; painted corridor (in a classical C…

Definition

noun

art gallerypainted corridor (in a classical Chinese garden or palace)

Measure word · 个

画廊。
Zhè jiā huà láng zhǎn chū de shì xiàn dài yì shù jiā de zuò pǐn.
This gallery exhibits works by modern artists.
画廊，。
Gù gōng lǐ yǒu yì tiáo cháng cháng de huà láng, qiáng shàng huà zhe jīng měi de bì huà.
There is a long painted corridor in the Forbidden City, with exquisite murals on the walls.
画廊。
Zhōu mò wǒ men qù huà láng kàn le yí gè shè yǐng zhǎn.
We went to the gallery to see a photography exhibition over the weekend.

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.

画huàpainting

The paintings 画 and corridor 廊 combine to name a gallery or painted corridor.

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 畫; 画 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

聿聿yùbrush

Sound part声符shēngfú

規

規guī畫huà

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

The traditional form 畫 pairs 聿, a brush, with 規 for its sound. The simplified 画 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the old parts.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

广郎廊

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

郎

Same sound today

廊 is made of 广 and 郎; 广 is the part used for sheltered buildings, and 郎 gives the sound.

Appears in