物种 (wù zhǒng) — species | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Strict biological term for a 'species' (a distinct group of organisms). Among the siblings, 种类 and 品种 are everyday words for 'kinds/types' in general; 物种 is reserved for biology and conservation contexts.

noun

species

Measure word · 个

Examples

物种。
Zhè piàn sēn lín lǐ qī xī zhe shù bǎi zhǒng wù zhǒng.
Hundreds of species inhabit this forest.
物种。
Qì hòu biàn huà zhèng zài wēi xié xǔ duō wù zhǒng de shēng cún.
Climate change is threatening the survival of many species.
物种。
Yán jiū rén yuán què rèn zhè shì yì zhǒng cóng wèi jiàn guò de wù zhǒng.
Researchers confirmed this is a species never seen before.

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.

物wùcreature

物 names organisms and 种 names kinds, together meaning species.

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.

牛勿物

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

勿

勿wù物wù

Same sound today

物 puts 牛 beside 勿: 牛 gives the meaning, and 勿 gives the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

禾中种

Meaning part形符xíngfú

禾禾hérice

Sound part声符shēngfú

中

中zhōng种zhǒng

Same sound today

种 pairs 禾, which shows rice or grain and fits meanings like plant and seed, with 中, which gives its sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Biology

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