蛙 (wā) — frog

Definition

noun
frog
Measure word · 只
Easily confused

Examples

  • 蛙。
    Chí táng lǐ yǒu hěn duō wā.
    There are many frogs in the pond.
  • 蛙。
    Zhè zhǒng wā de jiào shēng hěn dà.
    This kind of frog has a very loud croak.
  • 蛙。
    Hái zi men zài tián biān zhuō wā.
    The children are catching frogs by the field.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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chónginsect; creature
Sound part声符shēngfú
圭
圭guī蛙wā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

蛙 is built from 虫 (creature) and 圭, which gives the sound clue.

Appears in
Animals & Mammals

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