白矮星 (bái ǎi xīng) — white dwarf (astronomy)

Definition

noun

white dwarf (astronomy)

Measure word · 颗

白矮星。
Tiān wén xué jiā fā xiàn le yì kē xīn de bái ǎi xīng.
Astronomers have discovered a new white dwarf.
白矮星，。
bái ǎi xīng De mì dù fēi cháng gāo, yì sháo wù zhì yǒu jǐ dūn zhòng.
A white dwarf's density is extremely high; a spoonful of its material weighs several tons.
白矮星。
Tài yáng zài jǐ shí yì nián hòu huì biàn chéng yì kē bái ǎi xīng.
The sun will become a white dwarf in billions of years.

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.

白矮white dwarf

偏正Modifier + head

白 'white', 矮 'dwarf', and 星 'star' describe a small, dense, white stellar remnant.

Characters in this word

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

白 is thought to picture either an acorn or a human head.

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

矢委矮

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

委

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

矮 is made of 矢 and 委: 矢 relates to the meaning, and 委 gives the sound.

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

The top of 星 is a later simplified form of 晶, twinkling stars; the bottom 生 shows the sound.