扑粉 (pū fěn) — face powder; talcum powder

Definition

Powder applied to the face or body, including face powder and talcum powder. A 离合词 (separable verb) — you can say 扑一下粉 (apply some powder) or 把粉扑开.

noun
face powdertalcum powder

Examples

  • 扑粉。
    Tā měi tiān yòng pū fěn.
    She uses face powder every day.
  • 扑粉。
    Zhè zhǒng pū fěn hěn hǎo yòng.
    This kind of talcum powder is good to use.
  • 扑粉。
    Tā mǎi le yì hé pū fěn.
    He bought a box of talcum powder.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

扑pūapply/sprinkle
粉fěnpowder

扑 means apply or sprinkle, and 粉 means powder; together they name face powder or the act of applying it.

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
卜
卜bǔ扑pū
Same sound today

扑 uses 手 (hand) for meaning and 卜 (bǔ) for sound.

Open 扑 →

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
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
分
分fēn粉fěn
Same sound today

粉 pairs 米 (rice) with 分 for its sound. The rice part points to face powder made from rice.

Open 粉 →

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