细沙 (xì shā) — fine sand | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

fine sand

Examples

细沙。
Hǎi tān shàng de xì shā fēi cháng róu ruǎn.
The fine sand on the beach is very soft.
细沙。
Tā yòng xì shā zuò le yí gè shā lòu.
He made an hourglass out of fine sand.
，细沙。
Fēng chuī guò, xì shā zài kōng zhōng fēi wǔ.
The wind blew, and fine sand danced in the air.

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.

细 describes the grain as fine, while 沙 is sand, giving fine sand.

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 細; 细 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

囟

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

The traditional form 細 pairs 糸, silk or thread, with 囟 for the sound. The simplified 细 is a later shorthand, and the old right part changed shape.

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

水水shuǐwater
少少shǎodots

沙 puts 少 (dots) beside 水 (water), showing sand on a shoreline.

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