英式 (yīng shì) — British-style; English-style

Definition

adjective
British-styleEnglish-style

Examples

  • 英式。
    Zhè jiā kā fēi guǎn tí gōng zhèng zōng de yīng shì xià wǔ chá.
    This café offers authentic English afternoon tea.
  • 英式,。
    Tā xǐ huan yīng shì de yōu mò, zǒng shì màn tiáo sī lǐ.
    He likes British humor, which is always dry and understated.
  • 英式,。
    Wǒ gèng xǐ huan yīng shì de zhuāng xiū fēng gé, jiǎn jié ér yōu yǎ.
    I prefer the British style of decoration, simple yet elegant.

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.

英yīngBritain
式shìstyle

英 names Britain, and 式 gives a style, so the word means British style.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
工工gōngwork
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì式shì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

式 pairs 工, meaning work, with 弋, which gives the sound.

Open 式 →

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