渣 (zhā) — dregs, residue; slag (in mining or smelting)
Definition
渣 (zhā) is the physical leftover substance — tea grounds, industrial slag, solid residue. Unlike 糟粕, it stays literal; it is the material, not the figurative 'waste worth discarding.'
noun
dregsresidueslag (in mining or smelting)
Measure word · 个
Easily confused
Examples
- 渣。Bēi zi lǐ yǒu yì xiē chá zhā.There are some tea dregs in the cup.
- 渣。Zhè zhǒng fèi zhā xū yào tuǒ shàn chǔ lǐ.This kind of waste residue needs to be properly handled.
- 渣。Gōng chǎng de zhā kě yǐ mài qián.The slag from the factory can be sold for money.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
渣 combines 氵 (water) with 查, which gives the sound.
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