冰层 (bīng céng) — layer of ice; ice sheet | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

layer of iceice sheet

Measure word · 层

Examples

冰层。
Běi jí de bīng céng yuè lái yuè báo le.
The Arctic ice layer is getting thinner and thinner.
冰层。
Gōng rén zhèng zài jiǎn chá hú miàn de bīng céng.
The workers are checking the ice layer on the lake.
冰层。
Shēn hòu de bīng céng fù gài le zhěng gè nán jí dà lù.
A thick ice sheet covers the entire Antarctic continent.

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.

冰 means ice and 层 means layer, so together they describe a layer of ice.

Characters in this word

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

冫水冰

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

冫

仌bīng冰bīng

Same sound today

冰 adds 水 (water) to 冫, the short form of 仌; 冫 gives the sound, and 水 shows the meaning.

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 層; 层 is its simplified writing.

尸曾層

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

曾

曾céng層céng

Same sound today

The traditional form 層 uses 尸 for the meaning and 曾 for the sound; the simplified 层 is a later abbreviation.

Appears in

Geography & Landforms

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