金牛座 (Jīn niú zuò) — Taurus (astrological sign)

Definition

noun
Taurus (astrological sign)

Examples

  • 金牛座。
    Wǒ de xīng zuò shì Jīn niú zuò.
    My zodiac sign is Taurus.
  • 金牛座。
    Jīn niú zuò De rén tōng cháng hěn gù zhí.
    People born under Taurus are usually very stubborn.
  • ？金牛座。
    Nǐ shì shén me xīng zuò? wǒ shì Jīn niú zuò.
    What's your zodiac sign? I'm Taurus.

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.

金牛golden bull
金jīngold牛niúbull
偏正Modifier + head
座zuòconstellation

金牛 golden bull names the 座 constellation, giving Taurus.

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.

金 was drawn with marks for two pieces of metal, along with a part that gave its sound; it first meant copper, then metals and gold.

Open 金 →

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

牛 is drawn as a bull's head, with two horns and two ears.

Open 牛 →

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
广广guǎnghouse on cliff
Sound part声符shēngfú
坐
坐zuò座zuò
Same sound today

座 pairs 广, a house on a cliff, with 坐 to give the sound.

Open 座 →

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