秋葵 (qiū kuí) — okra | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

okra

Measure word · 根

秋葵。
Zhè dào qiū kuí hěn xīn xiān.
This okra dish is very fresh.
秋葵。
qiū kuí De yíng yǎng jià zhí hěn gāo.
Okra has high nutritional value.
秋葵。
Wǒ zài chāo shì kàn dào le xīn xiān de qiū kuí.
I saw fresh okra at the supermarket.

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.

葵kuímallow/hollyhock

“秋” points to autumn, and “葵” names a mallow-like plant, together referring to okra.

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

禾禾hégrain

Sound part声符shēngfú

𤒅

𤒅𤒅秋qiū

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

The shape 秋 pairs 禾 (grain) with 𤒅, which gives the sound.

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

艹癸葵

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss, plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

癸

癸guǐ葵kuí

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

葵 uses 艹 (grass, plant) to show it is a kind of plant and 癸 to give its sound.