(hài) — helium

Definition

noun
helium

Examples

  • Zhè ge qì qiú lǐ miàn shì hài, suǒ yǐ tā néng fēi qǐ lái.
    This balloon is filled with helium, so it can fly.
  • Tā men zài shí yàn shì lǐ yòng hài zuò shí yàn.
    They use helium to do experiments in the lab.
  • Kōng qì bǐ hài zhòng, suǒ yǐ qì qiú huì shàng shēng.
    Air is heavier than helium, so balloons rise.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
gas
Sound part声符shēngfú
hàihài
Same sound today

氦 combines 气 (gas) and 亥, which gives it its pronunciation.

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