海泡石 (hǎi pào shí) — sepiolite, meerschaum (a soft white clay mineral)

Definition

A soft, light white clay mineral, historically prized for carving tobacco pipes. The name literally means 'sea-foam stone' from its pale color and porous texture.

noun
sepiolitemeerschaum (a soft white clay mineral)
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 海泡石。
    Zhè zhǒng hǎi pào shí kě yǐ yòng lái zhì zuò yān dǒu.
    This kind of meerschaum can be used to make pipes.
  • 海泡石。
    Dì zhì xué jiā zài shān shàng fā xiàn le hǎi pào shí kuàng.
    Geologists discovered a sepiolite deposit on the mountain.
  • 海泡石。
    hǎi pào shí Shì yì zhǒng hěn qīng de kuàng wù.
    Meerschaum is a very light mineral.

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.

海泡sea foam
海hǎisea泡pàofoam
偏正Modifier + head
石shístone

海泡 (sea foam) describes the foam-like appearance of 石 (stone).

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

海 pairs 氵 (water) with 每, which gives the sound. The 氵 side shows it is about water.

Open 海 →

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 石 shows a stone under a cliff-like overhang, or a cave set into a cliff side.

Open 石 →

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