阿拉斯加 (A lā sī jiā) — Alaska (U.S. state)

Definition

noun
Alaska (U.S. state)

Examples

  • 阿拉斯加。
    Wǒ míng nián xiǎng qù A lā sī jiā lǚ yóu.
    I want to travel to Alaska next year.
  • 阿拉斯加。
    A lā sī jiā Shì měi guó zuì dà de zhōu.
    Alaska is the largest state in the US.
  • 阿拉斯加。
    Tīng shuō A lā sī jiā de jí guāng fēi cháng piào liang.
    I heard the aurora in Alaska is very beautiful.

Origin

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
阜阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
可
可kě阿ā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The part 阜 points to a mound, and 可 gives the pronunciation; 阿 originally meant a big mound.

Open 阿 →

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
立
立lì拉lā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拉 pairs 手 (hand) with 立, a component that supplies the sound.

Open 拉 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 斯 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

加 pairs 力 and 口. In one explanation 力 is strength and 口 is the mouth, meaning exaggeration; in another 力 is plowing effort and 口 is breath or exclamation, meaning extra effort.

Open 加 →

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