读法 (dú fǎ) — pronunciation (of a word or character)

Definition

noun

pronunciation (of a word or character)

读法？
Zhè ge zì de dú fǎ shì shén me?
What is the pronunciation of this character?
读法。
Qǐng nǐ gào sù wǒ zhè ge cí de zhèng què dú fǎ.
Please tell me the correct pronunciation of this word.
读法。
Bù tóng de fāng yán yǒu bù tóng de dú fǎ.
Different dialects have different pronunciations.

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.

“读” is reading and “法” is a way or method, giving the way a word is read.

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 讀; 读 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánto say

Sound part声符shēngfú

𧶠

𧶠𧶠讀dú

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

The traditional form 讀 is made of 言 ('to say') and 𧶠 (giving the sound); this description is about 讀, not 读.

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

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid

Sound part声符shēngfú

盍

盍hé法fǎ

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

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.