邀请函 (yāo qǐng hán) — invitation letter | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

invitation letter

Measure word · 封

Examples

邀请函。
Wǒ yǐ jīng shōu dào le hūn lǐ de yāo qǐng hán.
I have already received the wedding invitation letter.
邀请函。
Qǐng bǎ yāo qǐng hán fā gěi suǒ yǒu cān huì zhě.
Please send the invitation letter to all attendees.
邀请函。
Zhè fēng yāo qǐng hán shè jì dé fēi cháng jīng měi.
This invitation letter is designed very exquisitely.

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.

邀请invitation

邀yāoinvite请qǐngrequest/invite

联合Coordinate

邀请 gives invite and 函 gives letter, so 邀请函 is a letter of invitation.

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.

辶敫邀

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuò

Sound part声符shēngfú

敫

敫jiǎo邀yāo

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

邀 pairs 辶, a walking part, with 敫, which gives the sound.

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 請; 请 is its simplified writing.

言青請

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

青

青qīng請qǐng

Same sound today

In the traditional form 請, 言 shows it relates to speaking, and 青 gives the sound; the simplified 请 is a later shorter form.

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

函 comes from an old drawing of an upside-down arrow stored inside a box with one or two handles.

Appears in

Mail & Messaging

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