乳酪 (rǔ lào) — cheese; curds | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

cheesecurds

Measure word · 块

乳酪。
Zhè zhǒng rǔ lào hěn hǎo chī.
This kind of cheese is delicious.
乳酪。
Mā ma zài chāo shì mǎi le xīn xiān de rǔ lào.
Mom bought fresh cheese at the supermarket.
乳酪。
Bǎ rǔ lào fàng zài bīng xiāng lǐ.
Put the cheese in the fridge.

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.

Milk and curd combine to name cheese, with the milk element specifying what kind of curd.

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.

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

各酉酪

Meaning part形符xíngfú

酉酉yǒualcohol; fermented drink

Sound part声符shēngfú

各

各gè酪lào

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

酪 pairs 各, which gives its sound, with 酉, meaning alcohol or fermented drink.

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