岩层 (yán céng) — rock stratum, rock formation

Definition

noun

rock stratumrock formation

Examples

岩层。
Zhè xiē yán céng xíng chéng yú yì wàn nián qián.
These rock strata formed billions of years ago.
岩层。
Yán jiū yán céng kě yǐ zhī dào dì qiú de biàn huà.
Studying rock strata can tell us about changes to the Earth.
岩层。
Zhè zuò shān yóu duō céng yán céng zǔ chéng.
This mountain is composed of multiple layers of rock strata.

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.

岩yánrock

层cénglayer

A layer of rock, 岩 'rock' specifying 层 '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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 巖; 岩 is its simplified writing.

山嚴巖

Meaning part形符xíngfú

山山shānmountain

Sound part声符shēngfú

嚴

嚴yán巖yán

Same sound today

The traditional form 巖 combines 山 (mountain) with 嚴, a part that gives the sound; the simplified 岩 is a later shorthand, and its parts are not the original parts.

Open 岩 →

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.

尸曾層

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 →