天然气 (tiān rán qì) — natural gas | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

The standard term for 'natural gas' (the fossil fuel piped to homes for cooking and heating). Use 燃气 as a broader category for any combustible gas, including coal gas and methane.

noun

natural gas

Examples

天然气。
Zhè ge dì qū de jū mín dōu shǐ yòng tiān rán qì.
The residents of this area all use natural gas.
天然气。
tiān rán qì De jià gé zuì jìn zhǎng le bù shǎo.
The price of natural gas has risen quite a bit recently.
天然气。
Hěn duō jiā tíng dōu yòng tiān rán qì qǔ nuǎn.
Many families use natural gas for heating.

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.

天然natural

天tiānnature然ránso

后缀Suffix

“天然” marks what exists by nature, and “气” names the gas.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

丁dīng天tiān

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

The shape comes from a frontal standing man 大 with a head; 天 pairs 大 with 丁 for sound.

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

火火huǒfire

Sound part声符shēngfú

肰

肰rán然rán

Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

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 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

气米氣

Meaning part形符xíngfú

米米mǐrice

Sound part声符shēngfú

气

气qì氣qì

Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Energy & Power

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