有机磷 (yǒu jī lín) — organophosphorus compound (often used in pestic…

Definition

noun

organophosphorus compound (often used in pesticides)

Examples

有机磷。
Xǔ duō nóng yào de zhǔ yào chéng fèn shì yǒu jī lín.
The main component of many pesticides is organophosphorus compounds.
有机磷。
Cháng qī jiē chù yǒu jī lín kě néng duì jiàn kāng zào chéng wēi hài.
Long-term exposure to organophosphorus compounds may harm your health.
有机磷。
Yán jiū rén yuán zhèng zài kāi fā gèng ān quán de yǒu jī lín tì dài pǐn.
Researchers are developing safer alternatives to organophosphorus compounds.

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.

有机organic

有yǒuhaving机jīlife

动宾Verb + object

磷línphosphorus

磷 is phosphorus, and 有机 points to carbon-based organic chemistry, so the name denotes organophosphorus materials.

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

肉肉ròumeat

Sound part声符shēngfú

又

又yòu有yǒu

Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

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

木几机

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree; wood

Sound part声符shēngfú

几

几jǐ机jī

Same sound today

The left part is 木 (tree; wood), and the right part 几 gives the sound.

Open 机 →

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