粤语 (Yuè yǔ) — Cantonese (language) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

Cantonese (language)

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.

粤yuèYue/Guangdong

语yǔlanguage

粤 names the Guangdong region and 语 means language, together naming the language of that region.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 粵; 粤 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 粵 is described in an old dictionary as made from 宷 and 亏; the simplified 粤 is the form shown here.

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 語; 语 is its simplified writing.

言吾語

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

吾

Same sound today

The form 語 pairs 言 (speech) with 吾, which gives the sound; this note is about 語, not 语.