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

Definition

noun
Alaska (U.S. state)

Examples

  • 阿拉斯加州。
    A lā sī jiā zhōu Zài měi guó de xī běi bù.
    Alaska is in the northwestern part of the United States.
  • 阿拉斯加州。
    Qù nián xià tiān wǒ qù le A lā sī jiā zhōu lǚ yóu.
    Last summer I traveled to Alaska.
  • 阿拉斯加州，。
    A lā sī jiā zhōu De miàn jī hěn dà, dàn rén kǒu hěn shǎo.
    Alaska has a large area but a small population.

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.

阿拉斯加Alaska
阿ā拉lā斯sī加jiā
州zhōustate

阿拉斯加 spells Alaska, and 州 means state, so the whole names that U.S. state.

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 →

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

州 originally drew an islet in a river.

Open 州 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.