发霉 (fā méi) — to become moldy or mildewed

Definition

A verb meaning 'to go moldy / mildewed', typically of food or organic matter in damp conditions. Use 变质 for food that has gone bad in a more general sense (rotten, spoiled).

verb
to become moldy or mildewed

Examples

  • 发霉。
    Zhè kuài miàn bāo yǐ jīng fā méi le.
    This piece of bread has already gone moldy.
  • 。
    Zhè kuài shuǐ guǒ fā guò yí cì méi.
    This piece of fruit has mildewed once.
  • 发霉。
    Shí wù fàng zài cháo shī de dì fāng róng yì fā méi.
    Food left in damp places easily gets moldy.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

发fāproduce/give off
霉méimold

发 means produce or give off, and 霉 is mold; together they describe something producing mold.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →

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
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
每
每měi霉méi
Same sound today

The top 雨 (rain) points to dampness, and the bottom 每 (měi) gives the sound.

Open 霉 →

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