链 (liàn) — chain; cable length (unit of maritime measureme…

Definition

noun

chaincable length (unit of maritime measurement)

Measure word · 条

链。
Zhè tiáo jīn liàn shì tā sòng gěi wǒ de.
This gold chain was given to me by him.
链，。
Zì xíng chē de liàn duàn le, xū yào xiū.
The bicycle chain broke and needs repair.
。
Tā yòng yì gēn tiě liàn bǎ mén suǒ zhù.
He locked the door with an iron chain.

Sound + meaning

六书liùshū

形声xíngshēng

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 鏈; 链 is its simplified writing.

金連鏈

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

連

連lián鏈liàn

Same sound today

The traditional form 鏈 pairs 金 (metal) with 連, which gives the sound; the simplified 链 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical parts.

Appears in