粪池 (fèn chí) — cesspool; septic tank; manure pit

Definition

noun

cesspoolseptic tankmanure pit

Measure word · 个

粪池。
Nóng cūn de fèn chí tōng cháng jiàn zài yuàn zi hòu miàn.
In rural areas, manure pits are usually built behind the yard.
，粪池。
Zhè dòng lóu méi yǒu jiē rù shì zhèng pái wū guǎn, zhǐ néng kào fèn chí chǔ lǐ wū shuǐ.
This building is not connected to the municipal sewage system and can only rely on a septic tank to treat wastewater.
粪池。
Qīng lǐ fèn chí shì yí xiàng yòu zāng yòu lèi de gōng zuò.
Cleaning a cesspool is a dirty and tiring job.

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.

粪 (manure) specifies the kind of 池 (pit) it is.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 糞; 粪 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 糞 is built from 釆, 𠦒, and 廾; the simplified 粪 is a later abbreviation.

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

氵也池

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐ

Sound part声符shēngfú

也

也yě池chí

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

池 pairs 氵 (water) with 也, which provides the sound.