蛋糕 (dàn gāo) — cake | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

蛋糕 is a sweet baked cake, typically for birthdays or dessert. More specific than the general term 甜品 ('dessert'); 比饼 is sweet and fluffy, while 饼 is flat (pancakes, mooncakes).

noun

cake

Measure word · 块, 个

Examples

，蛋糕。
Jīn tiān shì wǒ de shēng rì, wǒ xiǎng chī yí kuài dàn gāo.
Today is my birthday, I want to eat a piece of cake.
蛋糕。
Wǒ qù chāo shì mǎi le yí gè dàn gāo.
I went to the supermarket and bought a cake.
蛋糕。
Zhè ge dàn gāo hěn hǎo chī.
This cake is very tasty.

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.

蛋 names egg, and 糕 names cake; together it is an egg-based cake.

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

虫虫chóngsnake, insect

Sound part声符shēngfú

延

延yán蛋dàn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 蛋, the lower part 虫 is a snake or insect, and the upper part is a shortened 延 giving the sound for 'egg'.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

米羔糕

Meaning part形符xíngfú

米米mǐrice

Sound part声符shēngfú

羔

羔gāo糕gāo

Same sound today

糕 pairs 米 (rice) with 羔 (lamb). 米 points to a rice-flour food, and 羔 gives the sound; since lamb can be cooked, it may also hint at food.

Appears in

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