联会 (lián huì) — (formal) association, alliance, union; (biology) synapsis (pairing of homologous chromosomes during meiosis)

Definition

A formal word for an 'association' or 'alliance' of organizations. In biology it also means 'synapsis' — the pairing of homologous chromosomes during meiosis.

noun
(formal) associationallianceunion(biology) synapsis (pairing of homologous chromosomes during meiosis)

Examples

  • 联会。
    Zhè ge lián huì yóu wǔ gè guó jiā de gōng sī zǔ chéng.
    This association is composed of companies from five countries.
  • 联会。
    Tā men chéng lì le guó jì xué shēng lián huì.
    They established an international student association.
  • ，联会。
    Zài jiǎn shù fēn liè zhōng, tóng yuán rǎn sè tǐ fā shēng lián huì.
    During meiosis, homologous chromosomes undergo synapsis.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

联liánjoin
会huìmeet

联 means join and 会 means meet, so the word conveys a joining together or association.

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 聯; 联 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 聯 combines 耳 (ear) and 絲 (silk); 联 is a simplified form of 聯.

Open 联 →

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 會; 会 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
合合héto meet
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡆧
𡆧𡆧會huì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Traditional 會 pairs 合 (to meet) with 𡆧, an original form for ironware, to give the sound. The simplified 会 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 会 →

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