细雨 (xì yǔ) — drizzle; fine rain | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

drizzlefine rain

Measure word · 阵

Easily confused

细雨。
Chuāng wài xià zhe xì yǔ.
It is drizzling outside the window.
细雨。
Wǒ xǐ huan zài xì yǔ zhōng sàn bù.
I like to take a walk in the fine rain.
细雨。
Chūn tiān de xì yǔ ràng rén gǎn jué hěn shū fu.
The spring drizzle makes one feel very comfortable.

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.

细 says the drops are fine, and 雨 names rain, together meaning drizzle.

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 細; 细 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

囟

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

The traditional form 細 pairs 糸, silk or thread, with 囟 for the sound. The simplified 细 is a later shorthand, and the old right part changed shape.

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

The shape 雨 is an old picture of a cloud with rain drops falling from it; the top line was added later.