长颈鹿 (cháng jǐng lù) — giraffe | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

giraffe

Measure word · 只

长颈鹿，。
Dòng wù yuán lǐ de cháng jǐng lù hěn gāo, hái zi men hěn xǐ huan tā.
The giraffe in the zoo is very tall, and children really like it.
长颈鹿，。
cháng jǐng lù De bó zi tè bié cháng, kě yǐ chī dào shù shàng de yè zi.
The giraffe's neck is especially long, so it can eat leaves from trees.
长颈鹿。
Wǒ dì yī cì kàn dào cháng jǐng lù shí fēi cháng jīng yà.
I was very surprised the first time I saw a giraffe.

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.

长颈long neck

偏正Modifier + head

长颈 means long neck and 鹿 means deer; together they name the long-necked deer, the giraffe.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

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 頸; 颈 is its simplified writing.

巠頁頸

Meaning part形符xíngfú

頁頁yèhead

Sound part声符shēngfú

巠

巠jīng頸gěng

Same sound today

The traditional form 頸 uses 頁, head, to show the meaning, and 巠 to give the sound; the simplified 颈 is a later shorthand.

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

鹿 is a picture of a deer, with antlers, head, mouth, and bent legs; in the current form these parts are abstracted.

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