中文词源
hen 母鸡
来自古英语henn,来自PIE*kan,唱，吟唱，词源同chant,cantor.引申词义打鸣的鸟，即公鸡，参照古英语hana,公鸡。
英语词源
- hen
-
hen: [OE] Etymologically, a hen is a ‘singing bird’. The word goes back ultimately to a prehistoric Germanic *khanon ‘male fowl, cock’, which was related to the Latin verb canere ‘sing’ (source of English chant). In the West Germanic dialects a feminine form developed, *khannjō, which has become German henne, Dutch hen, Swedish höna, Danish høne, and English hen. (The original masculine form survives in German hahn, Dutch haan, and Swedish and Danish hane, but English has given it up – the Old English word was hana, and if it had survived to the present day it would probably be *hane.) The metaphorical extension of the term to any female bird took place in the 14th century.
=> chant - hen (n.)
- Old English henn, from West Germanic *hannjo (cognates: Old Frisian henn, Middle Dutch henne, Old High German henna), fem. of *han(e)ni "male fowl, cock" (source of Old English hana "cock"), literally "bird who sings (for sunrise)," from PIE root *kan- "to sing" (see chant).
The original masculine word survives in German (Hahn "cock"), Swedish, Danish, etc. German also has a generic form, Huhn, for either gender of the bird. Extension to "female of any bird species" is early 14c. in English. Hen as slang for "woman" dates from 1620s; hence hen party "gathering of women," first recorded 1887. To be mad as a wet hen is from 1823, but the figure was used to indicate other states:Some, on the contrary, are viciously opposite to these, who act so tamely and so coldly, that when they ought to be angry, to thunder and lighten, as one may say, they are no fuller of Heat, than a wet Hen, as the Saying is; .... ["Life of Mr. Thomas Betterton," London, 1710]
As wanton as a wet hen is in "Scots Proverbs" (1813). Among Middle English proverbial expressions was nice as a nonne hen "over-refined, fastidiously wanton" (c. 1500); to singen so hen in snowe "sing miserably," literally "sing like a hen in snow" (c. 1200). Hen's teeth as a figure of scarceness is attested by 1838.
Orth. Out upon you for a dastardly Fellow; you han't the Courage of a wet Hen. ["A Sermon Preached at St. Mary-le-Bow, March 27, 1704"]
权威例句
- 1. The pheasant is a close relative of the Guinea hen.
- 雉与珍珠鸡有很近的亲缘关系。
- 2. The hen may not be able to feed its young.
- 雌鸟可能无法给幼鸟喂食。
- 3. The hen gave a squawk when It'saw the cat.
- 母鸡见到猫时咯咯叫了起来.
- 4. The higher officials knew there was a hen on.
- 高级官员们知道这里面有阴谋.
- 5. If the hen does not prate, she will not lay.
- 母鸡不唠叨不下蛋.
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