莲藕 (lián ǒu) — lotus root | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

lotus root

Measure word · 节

莲藕。
Wǒ zuì xǐ huan yòng lián ǒu bāo tāng.
I like to use lotus root to make soup.
莲藕。
Zhè dào táng cù lián ǒu yòu cuì yòu tián.
This sweet and sour lotus root dish is both crunchy and sweet.
莲藕。
Shì chǎng shàng mài de lián ǒu hěn xīn xiān.
The lotus root sold at the market is very fresh.

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.

莲 names the lotus plant and 藕 names its edible root, so it is lotus root.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 蓮; 莲 is its simplified writing.

艹連蓮

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎo

Sound part声符shēngfú

連

連lián蓮lián

Same sound today

The traditional form 蓮 puts the plant mark 艹 above 連, which gives the sound. The simplified 莲 is a later shorthand.

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

耦

耦ǒu藕ǒu

Same sound today

藕 pairs 艸, a grass marker, with 耦, which gives the character's sound.