成份 (chéng fèn) — component, ingredient, element (of a mixture or…

Definition

Usually a variant writing of 成分; the 'family background / class status' sense is specific to political-historical contexts (e.g. 家庭成份).

noun

componentingredientelement (of a mixture or compound)class backgroundsocial status (esp. in political or historical contexts)

Measure word · 种

成份。
Zhè zhǒng shí pǐn de chéng fèn hěn jiàn kāng.
The ingredients of this food are very healthy.
成份。
Wǒ men xū yào fēn xī yí xià shuǐ de chéng fèn.
We need to analyze the composition of the water.
成份。
Tā de jiā tíng chéng fèn shì gōng rén.
His family background is working class.

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.

成chéngconstitute

成 gives the sense of constitute and 份 gives the sense of part, together pointing to a part that makes up something.

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成chéng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

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

亻分份

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

分

分fēn份fèn(r)

Same sound today

份 is built from 亻, the person form written in full as 人, and 分, which gives the sound.

Appears in