乙醚 (yǐ mí) — ether (chemical compound used as a solvent and anesthetic)

Definition

noun
ether (chemical compound used as a solvent and anesthetic)

Examples

  • 乙醚。
    yǐ mí Shì yì zhǒng cháng jiàn de yǒu jī róng jì.
    Ether is a common organic solvent.
  • 乙醚，。
    Shí yàn shì lǐ yào xiǎo xīn shǐ yòng yǐ mí, yīn wèi tā yì rán.
    Be careful when using ether in the lab because it's flammable.
  • 乙醚，。
    Tā wén le yí xià yǐ mí, hěn kuài jiù shuì zháo le.
    He smelled some ether and soon fell asleep.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

乙yǐethyl
醚míether

乙 indicates ethyl, and 醚 indicates ether; together they name ether with an ethyl group.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The origin of 乙 is obscure, with old suggestions including a plant trying to sprout, a fish's intestine or gill bone, or flowing water.

Open 乙 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 酉酉yǒuoxygenated functional group
  • 迷迷míconfusion

醚 pairs 酉, an oxygenated functional group, with 迷, confusion, because ether’s anesthetic use can cause confusion. 迷 also gives the sound.

Open 醚 →

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