污痕 (wū hén) — stain, smudge, dirty mark | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

stainsmudgedirty mark

Measure word · 个

Examples

污痕。
Zhè jiàn bái chèn shān shàng yǒu yí kuài xǐ bú diào de wū hén.
There's a stain on this white shirt that won't wash off.
污痕。
Kǎo gǔ xué jiā zài táo qì biǎo miàn fā xiàn le gǔ lǎo de wū hén.
Archaeologists found ancient stains on the surface of the pottery.
污痕。
Qiáng shàng de wū hén shì duō nián yǔ shuǐ qīn shí liú xià de.
The marks on the wall were left by years of rain erosion.

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.

The dirty idea 污 leaves a visible trace 痕.

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.

疒艮痕

Meaning part形符xíngfú

疒疒nè

Sound part声符shēngfú

艮

艮gèn痕hén

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

痕 pairs 疒 with 艮: 疒 gives the sense, and 艮 gives the sound.

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