About
The character 洋 is a phono-semantic compound, with the water radical 氵 on the left indicating its connection to water and the phonetic component 羊 (yáng) on the right providing its pronunciation. Initially, 洋 served as the proper name for a specific river in present-day Shandong province, not as a term for a general body of water. Over time, its meaning broadened significantly to denote a vast, boundless ocean or any extensive expanse of water. Because oceans were the primary route through which overseas foreigners arrived in China in later historical periods, the character also acquired a secondary meaning referring to things that are foreign, Western, or imported from overseas, a sense commonly seen in modern terms for foreign goods and concepts.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
海洋非常广阔。
太平洋是世界上最大的洋。
她穿得十分洋气。
他对西洋文化很感兴趣。
我们需要远渡重洋去学习。
这家餐馆的装潢富有南洋风情。
在全球化时代，洋货国货都很常见。
中国的发展宛如百川归洋，势不可挡。