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红衣主教 (hóng yī zhǔ jiào) — cardinal (Catholic Church title)

Definition

Catholic Church title for a senior rank below the Pope, literally 'red-robed bishop' from the cardinals' scarlet vestments.

noun
cardinal (Catholic Church title)
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 红衣主教。
    Nà wèi hóng yī zhǔ jiào zhèng zài jiǎng huà.
    That cardinal is speaking.
  • 红衣主教。
    Hěn duō hóng yī zhǔ jiào lái kāi huì le.
    Many cardinals came to the meeting.
  • 红衣主教。
    Zhè wèi hóng yī zhǔ jiào cóng yì dà lì lái.
    This cardinal comes from Italy.

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.

红衣red robe
红hóngred衣yīclothing
偏正Modifier + head
主教bishop
主zhǔpreside教jiàochurch/religion
动宾Verb + object

Red-robed bishop: 红 and 衣 give the red robe, while 主 and 教 give the one who presides over the church.

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 紅; 红 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng紅hóng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 紅 puts 糸 (silk) next to 工, which gives the sound; the simplified 红 is a later shorthand.

Open 红 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 衣 comes from an outline of the chest and upper clothing.

Open 衣 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →

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
子子zǐchild
攵Written in full as攴pūteaching cane; stick that represents authority
Sound part声符shēngfú
爻
爻yáo教jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

教 uses 爻 for its sound and puts 子 (child) with 攵 (攴), a teaching cane, to show teaching a child.

Open 教 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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