毒气弹 (dú qì dàn) — gas shell or bomb

Definition

noun
gas shell or bomb
Measure word · 颗

Examples

  • 毒气弹。
    Dí rén yòng dú qì dàn hōng zhà le chéng shì.
    The enemy bombed the city with gas shells.
  • ，毒气弹。
    Zhè cì xíng dòng zhōng, tā men shǐ yòng le dà liàng de dú qì dàn.
    In this operation, they used a large number of gas bombs.
  • 毒气弹。
    Guó jì fǎ jìn zhǐ shǐ yòng dú qì dàn.
    International law prohibits the use of gas shells.

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.

毒气poison gas
毒dúpoison气qìgas
偏正Modifier + head
弹tánbomb

毒 (poison) and 气 (gas) name the substance in the 弹 (bomb).

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
屮屮chèvegetation
Sound part声符shēngfú
毐
毐ǎi毒dú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

毒 pairs 屮, a plant part, with 毐 as a sound part; this form was used for a poisonous plant.

Open 毒 →

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 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →

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 彈; 弹 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōng
Sound part声符shēngfú
單
單dān彈tán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 彈 pairs 弓 (bow) with the sound part 單; the simplified 弹 is a shorthand.

Open 弹 →

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