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乳胶 (rǔ jiāo) — latex; emulsion

Definition

noun
latexemulsion

Examples

  • 乳胶。
    Zhè ge zhěn tou shì yòng rǔ jiāo zuò de.
    This pillow is made of latex.
  • 乳胶。
    Gōng rén dài shàng le rǔ jiāo shǒu tào.
    The workers put on latex gloves.
  • 乳胶。
    rǔ jiāo Tú liào gān dé hěn kuài.
    Latex paint dries quickly.

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.

乳rǔemulsion
胶jiāorubber

“乳” (emulsion) specifies the kind of “胶” (rubber/glue), giving latex.

Characters in this word

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

乳 originally drew a kneeling woman holding and breastfeeding a child, matching its meanings of breast and milk.

Open 乳 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 膠; 胶 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat; flesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
翏
翏liù膠jiāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 膠 pairs ⺼ (meat; flesh) with 翏, which gives the sound.

Open 胶 →
Appears in
Materials & Substances

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