二氧化硫 (èr yǎng huà liú) — sulfur dioxide

Definition

noun

sulfur dioxide

二氧化硫。
èr yǎng huà liú Shì yì zhǒng cháng jiàn de yǒu hài qì tǐ.
Sulfur dioxide is a common harmful gas.
二氧化硫。
Gōng chǎng pái fàng de èr yǎng huà liú huì wū rǎn kōng qì.
Sulfur dioxide emitted by factories pollutes the air.
二氧化硫。
Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū rú hé jiǎn shǎo èr yǎng huà liú de pái fàng.
Scientists are researching how to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

二 is drawn as two parallel strokes, where the number of strokes shows the amount.

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

養

養yǎng氧yǎng

Same sound today

氧 pairs 气 (gas) with 養 (to nourish), and 養 gives the sound yǎng.

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

化 shows two person figures, one upright and one upside down, to give the idea of reversal or change.

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú

石石shístone

Sound part声符shēngfú

流

Same sound today

The left part 石 is stone; the right part 流 supplies the sound liú.