红土 (hóng tǔ) — red soil, laterite | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

red soillaterite

Examples

红土。
Zhè piàn hóng tǔ shì hé zhǒng chá shù.
This patch of red soil is suitable for growing tea plants.
红土，。
hóng tǔ Fù hán tiě yuán sù, yán sè hěn tè bié.
Laterite is rich in iron, giving it a very distinctive color.
红土。
Dì zhì xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū zhè piàn hóng tǔ de xíng chéng guò chéng.
Geologists are studying the formation process of this laterite.

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.

红 red tells what kind of 土 soil, giving red soil.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 紅; 红 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìsilk

Sound part声符shēngfú

工

工gōng紅hóng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 紅 puts 糸 (silk) next to 工, which gives the sound; the simplified 红 is a later shorthand.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.