干酪 (gān lào) — cheese | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

cheese

Measure word · 块

Examples

干酪。
Zhè zhǒng gān lào de kǒu gǎn hěn tè bié.
This type of cheese has a special texture.
干酪。
Tā zài chāo shì mǎi le yí kuài fǎ guó gān lào.
He bought a piece of French cheese at the supermarket.
干酪。
Yì dà lì miàn pèi shàng gān lào fēi cháng hǎo chī.
Pasta with cheese is very tasty.

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.

干 means dry and 酪 means cheese, so together they name a dry cheese product.

Characters in this word

The simplified 干 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (饼干, 干杯) it is 乾; in others (干, 干活儿) (干扰) it is 幹 or 干.

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 乾; 干 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

倝

倝gàn乾gān

Same sound today

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

各酉酪

Meaning part形符xíngfú

酉酉yǒualcohol; fermented drink

Sound part声符shēngfú

各

各gè酪lào

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

酪 pairs 各, which gives its sound, with 酉, meaning alcohol or fermented drink.

Appears in

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