泡沫塑料 (pào mò sù liào) — foam plastic; plastic foam (e.g., styrofoam)

Definition

noun
foam plasticplastic foam (e.g., styrofoam)
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 泡沫塑料,。
    Zhè xiē pào mò sù liào hěn qīng, shì hé yòng lái zuò bāo zhuāng cái liào.
    This foam plastic is very light, suitable for use as packaging material.
  • 泡沫塑料,。
    pào mò sù liào Bù róng yì jiàng jiě, duì huán jìng yǒu wū rǎn.
    Foam plastic is not easily degradable and pollutes the environment.
  • 泡沫塑料。
    Wǒ jīng cháng yòng pào mò sù liào zuò shǒu gōng mó xíng.
    I often use foam plastic to make craft models.

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.

泡沫foam
泡pàobubble沫mòfoam
联合Coordinate
塑料plastic material
塑sùmold料liàomaterial
偏正Modifier + head

泡沫, from 泡 'bubble' and 沫 'foam', describes 塑料, from 塑 'mold' and 料 'material'.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
包
包bāo泡pào
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

泡 combines 氵 (water) and 包, which supplies the sound. It conveys foam.

Open 泡 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
末
末mò沫mò
Same sound today

沫 pairs 水 (water) with 末 (mò), where 水 marks the watery sense and 末 gives the sound.

Open 沫 →

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
朔
朔shuò塑sù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

塑 pairs 土 (earth) with 朔, which gives the sound.

Open 塑 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

料 combines 米 (rice) with 斗 (a dipper), showing rice being measured or gauged.

Open 料 →

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