通心粉 (tōng xīn fěn) — macaroni

Definition

noun
macaroni

Examples

  • 通心粉。
    Wǒ xǐ huan chī tōng xīn fěn.
    I like to eat macaroni.
  • 通心粉。
    Mā ma zuò le tōng xīn fěn shā lā.
    Mom made macaroni salad.
  • 通心粉。
    Zhè ge tōng xīn fěn shì yì dà lì jìn kǒu de.
    This macaroni is imported from Italy.

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.

通心hollow through the core
通tōngthrough; penetrate心xīncore; center
动宾Verb + object
粉fěnpowder; noodle

通心 describes a hollow going through the core, and 粉 names the pasta or noodle food.

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
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng通tōng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

通 pairs 辶, a part associated with movement, with 甬, which gives the sound.

Open 通 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 心 comes from a drawing of a heart, now highly stylized.

Open 心 →

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
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
分
分fēn粉fěn
Same sound today

粉 pairs 米 (rice) with 分 for its sound. The rice part points to face powder made from rice.

Open 粉 →
Appears in
Food (General)

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