松脂 (sōng zhī) — turpentine

Definition

Literally 'pine resin,' referring to the raw sticky substance tapped from pine trees. The English word 'turpentine' strictly means the refined solvent distilled from it.

noun
turpentine
Easily confused

Examples

  • 松脂。
    Huà jiā yòng sōng zhī lái xī shì yán liào.
    The painter uses turpentine to dilute paint.
  • 松脂。
    Zhè píng sōng zhī kě yǐ yòng lái qīng xǐ shuā zi.
    This bottle of turpentine can be used to clean brushes.
  • 松脂，。
    Zài tōng fēng chù shǐ yòng sōng zhī, yīn wèi tā de qì wèi hěn nóng.
    Use turpentine in a ventilated area because its smell is strong.

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.

松sōngpine
脂zhīresin

松 means pine and 脂 means resin, giving pine resin or turpentine.

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
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
公
公gōng松sōng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

松 uses 木 (wood) to show it is a tree, and 公 to give the sound.

Open 松 →

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
月Written in full as肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
旨
旨zhǐ脂zhī
Same sound today

The left 月 is meat, and the right 旨 gives the sound.

Open 脂 →

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