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疏松 (shū sōng) — loose (of soil, texture, or structure); puffy (of bread, cake, or similar food)

Definition

Adjective describing a soft, open, airy texture — used for soil, baked goods, or any loose, crumbly material. Distinguish from 稀 xī ('thin, watery, sparse').

adjective
loose (of soil, texture, or structure)puffy (of bread, cake, or similar food)

Examples

  • 疏松，。
    Zhè kuài tǔ dì hěn shū sōng, shì hé zhǒng huā shēng.
    This piece of land is very loose, suitable for planting peanuts.
  • 疏松，。
    Gāng kǎo chū lái de miàn bāo fēi cháng shū sōng, kǒu gǎn hěn hǎo.
    The freshly baked bread is very puffy and has a great texture.
  • 疏松，。
    Zhè zhǒng dàn gāo zhì dì shū sōng, rù kǒu jí huà.
    This kind of cake has a loose texture and melts in your mouth.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

疏shūsparse
松sōngloose

疏 means sparse and 松 means loose, together describing a loose texture.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 疋疋pǐ
  • 㐬㐬㐬

The form 疏 combines 㐬 with 疋, where 疋 supplies the sound.

Open 疏 →

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
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
公
公gōng松sōng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

松 uses 木 (wood) to show it is a tree, and 公 to give the sound.

Open 松 →
Appears in
Texture & Quality

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