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避风港 (bì fēng gǎng) — a harbor that provides shelter from wind (literal); a haven, a refuge (figurative)

Definition

noun
a harbor that provides shelter from wind (literal)a havena refuge (figurative)
Measure word · 座

Examples

  • 避风港。
    Chuán zài bào fēng yǔ zhōng shǐ jìn le bì fēng gǎng.
    The ship sailed into the harbor during the storm.
  • 避风港。
    Jiā shì xīn líng de bì fēng gǎng.
    Home is a haven for the soul.
  • 避风港。
    Zhè ge zì rán bǎo hù qū shì xǔ duō yě shēng dòng wù de bì fēng gǎng.
    This nature reserve is a haven for many wild animals.

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.

避风avoid wind
避bìavoid风fēngwind
动宾Verb + object
港gǎngharbor

避 avoid, 风 wind, 港 harbor; a harbor that shelters from wind.

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chuòto walk
Sound part声符shēngfú
辟
辟pì避bì
Same sound today

避 is built from 辶, a walking-related form, plus 辟, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 避 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 风 →

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
水水shuǐriver; water
Sound part声符shēngfú
巷
巷xiàng港gǎng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

港 uses 水 (river; water) to show its meaning and 巷 to give its sound.

Open 港 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsBoats & Water Travel

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