沼气 (zhǎo qì) — marsh gas; methane (produced by decomposing org… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

marsh gasmethane (produced by decomposing organic matter)

Examples

沼气。
Nóng cūn de zhǎo qì chí kě yǐ yòng lái fā diàn.
Rural biogas digesters can be used to generate electricity.
沼气。
zhǎo qì Shì yì zhǒng qīng jié de kě zài shēng néng yuán.
Biogas is a clean, renewable energy source.
沼气。
Dòng wù fèn biàn zài quē yǎng tiáo jiàn xià huì chǎn shēng zhǎo qì.
Animal manure produces biogas under anaerobic conditions.

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.

沼气 joins 沼 (marsh) and 气 (gas), gas from a marsh.

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.

氵召沼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

召

召zhào沼zhǎo

Same sound today

沼 pairs 氵 (water) with 召, which gives the sound. The water part fits the meaning of a pond.

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.

气米氣

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.

Appears in

Energy & Power Physics & Chemistry

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