冶炼 (yě liàn) — to smelt (extract metal from ore by heating)

Definition

verb
to smelt (extract metal from ore by heating)

Examples

  • 冶炼。
    Zhè jiā gōng chǎng zhǔ yào cóng shì tiě kuàng shí de yě liàn gōng zuò.
    This factory mainly engages in smelting iron ore.
  • 冶炼。
    Gāo wēn shì yě liàn guò chéng zhōng bì bù kě shǎo de yì huán.
    High temperature is an essential part of the smelting process.
  • 冶炼。
    Gǔ dài de yě liàn jì shù xiāng duì luò hòu.
    Ancient smelting technology was relatively backward.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

冶yěsmelt
炼liànrefine

冶 and 炼 describe extracting and purifying metal from ore.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 冶 comes from parts showing metal being cast: 呂 metal ingots, 刀 a ladle, and 口 a decorative part. In 冶, the ingots became 冫, and 刀 and 口 merged into 台.

Open 冶 →

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 煉; 炼 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 炼 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 煉; in others (锻炼) it is 鍊.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
柬
柬jiǎn煉liàn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 煉 pairs 火 (fire) with 柬 as its sound part. The simplified 炼 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical component.

Open 炼 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.