Hypernym and Hyponym

Hypernym and Hyponym

Hypernym and hyponym are linguistics terms, and many people name them superordinate and subordinate. Superordinate is greater in degree, rank or position than subordinate. But hypernym is not great than hyponym and they are not in hierarchy. Hypernym is common property (future) of hyponyms.

In general, there are a number of hyponyms for each hypernym, but at least there are two. For example, tulip and rose are hyponym of flower, and simultaneously flower is a hypernym of tulip and rose. Tulip and rose are co-hyponyms. Co-hyponyms are not related to one another, in other words, they are incompatible.

If A is a kind of X,

If B is a kind of X,

Then A is a hyponym, B is a hyponym, X is a hypernym, A and B are co-hyponyms. 

The hypernym is often used as part of the definition of hyponyms. The meaning of each hyponym “contains” the meaning of hypernym. For example, the meaning of words tulip and rose “contains” the meaning of the word flower. Thus, hyponymy is sometimes referred to as inclusion. The hypernym is the included word and the hyponym is the including one.

Hypernym and hyponym are not biological classification, and they are not same in different languages. For example, whale in Chinese is a kind of fish, and Chinese does not have hyponym of crocodylia which refers to crocodile and alligator. Watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, pumpkin, wax gourd, cucumber, snake gourd, bitter gourd in Chinese are hyponym of word melon.

Hypernym and hyponym are culture classification. For example, English doesn’t have hyponyms which refers specifically to the uncle younger or older than speaker’s father and the uncle from speaker’s father or mother side, but Chinese dose. Ticket in Chinese includes stamp, cash, vouchers food stamp etc. Taurus, mustang, escape, explorer in English are hyponym of ford.

Hyponym is a name of individual, and hypernym is a collective name of a group, so hyponym is more precise while hypernym is much efficient as it can quickly talk about a group of things.