芳龄 (fāng líng) — (polite) age of a young lady | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary/elegant word for a young woman's age, used politely (e.g. by a host or matchmaker). Strongly literary — avoid in everyday speech.

noun

(polite) age of a young lady

Examples

芳龄？
Qǐng wèn nín fāng líng?
May I ask your age (young lady)?
芳龄，。
Tā zhèng chù dòu kòu fāng líng, qīng chūn yáng yì.
She is at her teenage prime, radiating youth.
芳龄，。
Nà wèi gū niang fāng líng èr bā, yǐ chū luò dé tíng tíng yù lì.
That young lady, at the age of sixteen, has grown into a graceful figure.

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.

芳fāngfragrant

The 芳 fragrant and 龄 age combine as a polite term for a young woman's age.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艸艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

方

方fāng芳fāng

Same sound today

芳 pairs 艸 (grass) with 方 (fāng); the 方 part 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 齡; 龄 is its simplified writing.

齒令齡

Meaning part形符xíngfú

齒齒chǐtooth

Sound part声符shēngfú

令

令lìng齡líng

Same sound today

The traditional form 齡 shows 齒, a tooth, associated with age, and 令 for the sound; simplified 龄 is a later shorthand.

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