Twins & Triplets part 2
This is Part 2 of the Twins & Triplets series. For these Chinese words, the same component is repeated 2 - 3 times within the word. Today, we look at 3 sets whose units are elements of Nature.
1. 日 昌 晶
日 rì can mean the Sun, the day or the date.
1 日 = day or Sun (one of the most straight-forward Chinese characters)
2 日 with one on top of the other = 昌 chāng (which means flourishing or thriving)
Imagine something basking in the warmth from 2 Suns and soaking up all the energy.
3 日 stacked like a pyramid = 晶 jīng (which means radiant or glistening)
Here, you can try to picture the brightness and sparkle of 3 Suns.
2. 木 林 森
Another basic word: this is 木 mù which means wood or tree.
1 木 = wood
2 木 side by side = 林 lín (imagine trees lining up and forming a forest)
3 木 stacked up = 森 sēn (dense and gloomy.. that kind of feeling in a forest.. at night)
Hence it is not difficult to see why the noun for forest, 森林 sēn lín, consists of 5 木.
3. 火 炎 焱
Last but not least, we have the element of fire.
1 火 huǒ = fire
2 火 with one on top of the other = 炎 yán
It means blazing heat. But it can also refer to inflammation as in 发炎 fā yán.
3 火 is no joke. When they are stacked up, you'll get 焱 yàn (which means flame).
These 3 sets of words share a similarity. Repetition of the component unit implies greater intensity.
Hence 1 more 日 suggests increased brightness while 1 more 木 leads to greater vegetation density. Use this generalised rule to help you remember & understand these 3 sets of Triplets.