TongTong
Sign in

英语 (Yīng yǔ) — English (language)

Definition

noun
English (language)

Examples

  • 英语。
    Wǒ měi tiān dōu zài xué Yīng yǔ.
    I study English every day.
  • 英语。
    Nǐ de Yīng yǔ shuō dé hěn liú lì.
    Your English is very fluent.
  • 英语。
    Zhè běn Yīng yǔ shū hěn yǒu qù.
    This English book is very interesting.

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yīngEnglish
语yǔlanguage

英 points to English and 语 points to language, giving English language.

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 語; 语 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
吾
吾wú語yǔ
Same sound today

The form 語 pairs 言 (speech) with 吾, which gives the sound; this note is about 語, not 语.

Open 语 →
Appears in
Language3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.