液体 (yè tǐ) — liquid | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

liquid

Examples

，液体。
Wēn dù shēng gāo shí, yè tǐ kě néng huì biàn chéng qì tǐ.
When the temperature rises, the liquid may turn into a gas.
液体，。
Zhè zhǒng yè tǐ méi yǒu yán sè, yě méi yǒu qì wèi.
This liquid has no color and no smell.
液体？
Píng zi lǐ zhuāng de shì shén me yè tǐ?
What liquid is in the bottle?

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.

液yèliquid

液 gives liquid, and 体 gives body or substance, together meaning a liquid substance.

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.

氵夜液

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

夜

夜yè液yè

Same sound today

The left side 氵 is water, and the right side 夜 gives the sound; together they form 液, a liquid, like water.

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

骨豊體

Meaning part形符xíngfú

骨骨gǔbone

Sound part声符shēngfú

豊

豊lǐ體tǐ

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

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 HSK 2.0 Level 5 Materials & Substances

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