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连环 (lián huán) — chain of rings; interlocked rings; series of interconnected events or things (in compounds)

Definition

连 means 'linked' and 环 means 'ring', so 连环 literally means 'interlocked rings' — used in compounds for things tied in a chain, like 连环画 (comic book) or 连环计 (interlocking schemes). Almost never used as a standalone noun.

noun
chain of ringsinterlocked ringsseries of interconnected events or things (in compounds)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè běn lián huán huà shì wǒ xiǎo shí hou zuì xǐ huan de.
    This comic book was my favorite when I was a kid.
  • 连环。
    Jǐng fāng fā xiàn zhè shì yì qǐ lián huán móu shā àn.
    The police discovered that this was a series of linked murders.
  • 连环，。
    Tā shè jì le yí tào lián huán jì, zuì zhōng dǎ bài le duì shǒu.
    He devised a set of interlocking schemes and finally defeated his opponent.

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.

连liánlink
环huánring

连 describes rings joined together, and 环 is a ring, giving a chain of linked rings.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 連; 连 is its simplified writing.

  • 辶辵chuòto walk
  • 車車jūchariot

The traditional form 連 joins 辶 (walk) and 車 (chariot) to show a man-drawn carriage; this note is about 連, not the simplified 连.

Open 连 →

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 環; 环 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
睘
睘qióng環huán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 環 pairs 玉 (jade) with a sound part; the simplified 环 is a shorthand and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 环 →
Appears in
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