塑胶 (sù jiāo) — plastic; synthetic resin

Definition

noun

plasticsynthetic resin

Measure word · 种

塑胶。
Zhè zhǒng sù jiāo cái liào hěn nài yòng.
This kind of plastic material is very durable.
塑胶。
Gōng chǎng yòng sù jiāo shēng chǎn gè zhǒng chǎn pǐn.
The factory uses plastic to produce various products.
塑胶。
sù jiāo De yòng tú fēi cháng guǎng fàn.
The uses of plastic are very wide.

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.

塑sùmold/plastic

胶jiāorubber/glue

塑 relates to molding or plastic, and 胶 means rubber or glue; together they name a plastic/rubber-like material.

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.

朔土塑

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth

Sound part声符shēngfú

朔

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

塑 pairs 土 (earth) with 朔, which gives the sound.

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 膠; 胶 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat; flesh

Sound part声符shēngfú

翏

翏liù膠jiāo

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

The traditional form 膠 pairs ⺼ (meat; flesh) with 翏, which gives the sound.

Appears in