蝰蛇 (kuí shé) — viper (a venomous snake)

Definition

noun

viper (a venomous snake)

Measure word · 条

蝰蛇。
kuí shé Shì yì zhǒng jù dú de shé.
The viper is a highly venomous snake.
蝰蛇。
Zài yě wài yào xiǎo xīn kuí shé de yǎo shāng.
In the wild, be careful of viper bites.
蝰蛇。
Kē xué jiā men zhèng zài yán jiū kuí shé de dú yè.
Scientists are studying the venom of the viper.

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.

蝰kuíviper

蝰, a kind of viper, combines with 蛇 to name the snake.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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

虫它蛇

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

它

它tā蛇shé

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

蛇 combines 虫 with 它; 它 gives the sound and was also the original form of this character.