碳素 (tàn sù) — carbon

Definition

noun
carbon

Examples

  • 碳素。
    tàn sù Shì huà xué zhōng zuì jī běn de yuán sù zhī yī.
    Carbon is one of the most basic elements in chemistry.
  • 碳素。
    Zhè zhǒng tàn sù gāng de qiáng dù fēi cháng gāo.
    This type of carbon steel has very high strength.
  • 碳素。
    tàn sù Xiān wéi cháng yòng yú zhì zào qīng biàn de jiāo tōng gōng jù.
    Carbon fiber is often used to manufacture lightweight vehicles.

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.

碳tàncarbon
素sùelement

'碳' names the substance and '素' indicates it as a basic element, together meaning carbon.

Characters in this word

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

  • 石石shí{{qualifier|chemical nomenclature}} non-metal solid
  • 炭炭tàncharcoal

碳 pairs 石, marking a non-metal solid, with 炭 (charcoal), which gives the pronunciation.

Open 碳 →

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

The shape of 素 came from a picture of hands braiding thread.

Open 素 →

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