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英国 (Yīng guó) — United Kingdom; Britain

Definition

noun
United KingdomBritain

Examples

  • 英国。
    Wǒ qù guò liǎng cì Yīng guó.
    I have been to the UK twice.
  • 英国。
    Yīng guó De shǒu dū shì lún dūn.
    The capital of the UK is London.
  • 英国。
    Yīng guó De tiān qì jīng cháng xià yǔ.
    The weather in the UK often rains.

Origin

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
央
央yāng英yīng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

英 pairs 艹 (grass) with 央, which gives the sound.

Open 英 →

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 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéiclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò國guó
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Open 国 →
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