资源 (zī yuán) — natural resources (e.g., water, minerals); reso…

Definition

A broad word covering both natural resources (water, minerals) and any usable asset — information, time, staff, learning materials. Human-power senses overlap with 人力 and 劳动力, but 资源 is the general, all-purpose term, not limited to labor.

noun

natural resources (e.g., water, minerals)resources in general (e.g., manpower, information, tourism)

Examples

资源。
Bǎo hù zì rán huán jìng jiù shì bǎo hù wǒ men de zī yuán.
Protecting the natural environment means protecting our resources.
资源。
Zhè jiā gōng sī yǒu chōng zú de zī yuán.
This company has ample resources.
资源。
Wǒ men kě yǐ zài wǎng shàng zhǎo dào hěn duō xué xí zī yuán.
We can find many learning resources online.

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.

资zīwealth

源yuánsource

资 suggests wealth or materials, and 源 a source, together meaning things that can be drawn on.

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 資; 资 is its simplified writing.

次貝資

Meaning part形符xíngfú

貝貝bèishell-money

Sound part声符shēngfú

次

次cì資zī

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

The traditional form 資 puts 次 above 貝, a shell-money sign, to write property or resource; 次 supplies the sound. The simplified 资 is a shorthand, so do not treat its parts as historical.

Open 资 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

原

原yuán源yuán

Same sound today

源 combines 水 (water) and 原 (origin): 水 points to water, and 原 gives the sound.

Open 源 →

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 5 HSK 2.0 Level 5 Environment & Ecology 5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words