外层 (wài céng) — outer layer; shell

Definition

noun
outer layershell

Examples

  • 外层。
    Zhè ge guǒ shí de wài céng hěn yìng.
    The outer layer of this fruit is very hard.
  • 外层。
    Jiàn zhù wù de yī céng shì bō li wài céng.
    The outermost layer of the building is a glass shell.
  • 外层。
    Dì qiú de wài céng jiào dì qiào.
    The outer layer of the Earth is called the crust.

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.

外wàioutside
层cénglayer

外 points to the outside position, and 层 is a layer, giving the outer layer.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
卜卜bǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
月
月yuè外wài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

外 pairs 卜 with 月, a crescent moon; in its older form, the 卜 part had a horizontal bar extending outward, giving the sense of outside.

Open 外 →

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
尸尸shī
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.

Open 层 →

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