青豆 (qīng dòu) — green soybean | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

green soybean

Measure word · 颗

青豆，。
Zhè dào cài yòng le xīn xiān de qīng dòu, kǒu gǎn hěn cuì.
This dish uses fresh green soybeans, and the texture is very crunchy.
青豆。
Chāo shì lǐ de qīng dòu bǐ xià tiān guì le bù shǎo.
Green soybeans at the supermarket are a lot more expensive than in summer.
青豆。
Mā ma yòng qīng dòu hé ròu dīng yì qǐ chǎo.
Mom stir-fries green soybeans with diced meat.

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.

'青' means green and '豆' means bean, so green beans or soybeans.

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.

An early form of 青 combined 生 and 井, both used for sound; the modern form has changed.

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

豆 originally drew some kind of container. It was borrowed for its sound to write the plant name, so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.