雪人 (xuě rén) — snowman | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

snowman

Measure word · 个

Examples

雪人。
Hái zi men zài yuàn zi lǐ duī le yí gè xuě rén.
The children built a snowman in the yard.
雪人，。
Zhè ge xuě rén tài dà le, wǒ yí gè rén bān bú dòng.
This snowman is too big, I can't move it by myself.
雪人。
Zuó tiān xià de xuě hěn shì hé duī xuě rén.
The snow that fell yesterday is very suitable for making a snowman.

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.

雪 is snow, and 人 is person, so the word names a figure shaped out of snow.

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

雨雨yǔrain

Sound part声符shēngfú

彗

彗huì雪xuě

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

雪 pairs 雨, showing rain, with 彗, giving the sound.

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

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Appears in

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