mandarin duck
1
7.0
- noun
- /ˈmændərɪn dʌk/
:
pato mandarín
- A pair of mandarin ducks glided gracefully across the pond, their vibrant feathers shimmering in the sunlight.
Examples
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The zoo's new exhibit features the colorful mandarin duck, native to East Asia.
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Look! There is a mandarin duck in our backyard!
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Many people admire the unique appearance of the male mandarin duck during the breeding season.
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I saw a beautiful mandarin duck at the pond.
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The park is home to several mandarin ducks with their vibrant feathers.
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We spotted a beautiful mandarin duck swimming gracefully in the pond.
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Children were delighted to see the mandarin ducks at the local wildlife reserve.
Synonyms
A colorful East Asian duck with a small crest often kept in ponds
How Colorful
Surface Forms
Morphology
mandarin + duck
The noun–noun compound is compositional: 'mandarin' functions as a modifier specifying a type or origin and 'duck' names the animal, so a learner who knows both words can infer this refers to a particular kind of duck (associated with 'mandarin' / China). This follows a common, cross-linguistic pattern of naming species by modifier + noun, so the meaning is transparently derivable from the constituents.
Etymology
Mandarin duck may get its name from the male bird's bright, robe-like feathers, which looked like the colourful clothes worn by Chinese mandarins 'high officials'. So the name links mandarin and duck and explains why this small Asian duck is known for its bright feathers.