污物 (wū wù) — sewage; waste; refuse | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

sewagewasterefuse

Measure word · 个

Examples

污物。
Gōng chǎng pái fàng de wū wù wū rǎn le hé liú.
The waste discharged by the factory polluted the river.
污物。
Zhè xiē wū wù xū yào jīng guò chǔ lǐ cái néng pái fàng.
This sewage needs to be treated before it can be discharged.
污物。
Chéng shì de xià shuǐ dào xì tǒng fù zé shōu jí wū wù.
The city's sewer system is responsible for collecting sewage.

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.

污 gives dirty and 物 gives thing, naming dirty matter or waste.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 汙; 污 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

于

于yú汙wū

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 汙 pairs 水 (water) with 于 for the sound; the simplified 污 is a later shorthand.

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

牛勿物

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

勿

勿wù物wù

Same sound today

物 puts 牛 beside 勿: 牛 gives the meaning, and 勿 gives the sound.

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