盐沼 (yán zhǎo) — salt marsh | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

salt marsh

Examples

盐沼。
Zhè piàn yán zhǎo shì xǔ duō niǎo lèi de jiā yuán.
This salt marsh is home to many birds.
盐沼。
Kē xué jiā men zài yán zhǎo lǐ fā xiàn le xīn de zhí wù.
Scientists discovered new plants in the salt marsh.
盐沼。
Bǎo hù yán zhǎo duì shēng tài huán jìng fēi cháng zhòng yào.
Protecting salt marshes is very important to the ecological environment.

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.

盐 gives 'salt' and 沼 gives 'marsh', naming a salty wetland.

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 鹽; 盐 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

鹵鹵lǔsalt

Sound part声符shēngfú

監

監jiān鹽yán

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

The traditional form 鹽 uses 鹵 to show salt and 監 for the sound; the simplified 盐 is a later shorthand.

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

氵召沼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

召

召zhào沼zhǎo

Same sound today

沼 pairs 氵 (water) with 召, which gives the sound. The water part fits the meaning of a pond.

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