洗涤剂 (xǐ dí jì) — detergent

Definition

noun
detergent
Measure word · 瓶

Examples

  • 洗涤剂。
    Zhè zhǒng xǐ dí jì qù wū xiào guǒ hěn hǎo.
    This type of detergent has a good stain-removing effect.
  • 洗涤剂。
    Qǐng bǎ xǐ dí jì fàng zài hái zi gòu bú dào de dì fāng.
    Please put the detergent where children can't reach it.
  • 洗涤剂。
    Yòng xǐ dí jì xǐ wán yī fu hòu yào duō piǎo xǐ jǐ cì.
    After washing clothes with detergent, you should rinse them several more times.

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.

洗涤wash
洗xǐwash涤dícleanse
联合Side by side
剂jìagent

洗 and 涤 both mean wash or cleanse, and 剂 means an agent or preparation, giving a washing agent.

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
先
先xiān洗xǐ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

洗 is built from 水 (water) and 先, which gives the character its sound.

Open 洗 →

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 滌; 涤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
條
條tiáo滌dí
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 滌 pairs 水 (water) with 條 as a sound part; the simplified 涤 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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 劑; 剂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刂Written in full as刀dāo
Sound part声符shēngfú
齊
齊qí劑jì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 劑, 齊 gives the sound and 刂 (刀, a knife) shows the meaning. The simplified 剂 is a later shorthand.

Open 剂 →

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