空难 (kōng nàn) — air crash; aviation accident

Definition

空难 is specifically an air crash or aviation accident. Narrower than the general 灾难 ('disaster'), which covers earthquakes, floods, etc.

noun

air crashaviation accident

空难。
Nà qǐ kōng nàn fā shēng zài qù nián dōng tiān.
That air crash happened last winter.
空难。
kōng nàn De yuán yīn hái zài diào chá zhōng.
The cause of the air crash is still under investigation.
空难。
Zhè cì kōng nàn méi yǒu xìng cún zhě.
There were no survivors from this air crash.

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.

难nándisaster

空 “air” and 难 “disaster” combine to mean an air crash.

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.

穴工空

Meaning part形符xíngfú

穴穴xuécave, hole

Sound part声符shēngfú

工

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

空 is built from 穴, a cave or hole, and 工, 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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 難; 难 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

隹隹zhuībird

Sound part声符shēngfú

暵

暵hàn難nán

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

The traditional 難 pairs 隹, a bird, with 暵 for sound, and meant a type of bird. It was later borrowed for other meanings; the modern 难 is a shorthand.

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