蒙古族 (Měng gǔ zú) — the Mongol ethnic minority (of China)

Definition

noun

the Mongol ethnic minority (of China)

Measure word · 个

蒙古族。
Měng gǔ zú Shì zhōng guó de yí gè shǎo shù mín zú.
The Mongol ethnic minority is an ethnic minority in China.
蒙古族。
Hěn duō Měng gǔ zú zhù zài nèi měng gǔ.
Many Mongol people live in Inner Mongolia.
蒙古族。
Měng gǔ zú Yǒu zì jǐ dú tè de wén huà hé chuán tǒng.
The Mongol people have their own unique culture and traditions.

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.

蒙古Mongol

族zúethnic group

蒙古 refers to the Mongols and 族 denotes an ethnic group, giving the Mongol ethnic group.

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.

艹冡蒙

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

冡

冡měng蒙méng

Same sound today

蒙 combines 艹 (grass) with 冡, which supplies the sound.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

One reading of 古 sees a shield-like shape above an open mark, showing strength and firmness. Another sees a person spitting out bad-tasting food.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

族 combines 㫃, a flag, and 矢, an arrow.