(fēn) — phenol

Definition

酚 is a chemistry term referring to a specific class of organic compounds with a hydroxyl group bonded to an aromatic ring. It is used in technical contexts like disinfectants and plastics.

noun
phenol

Examples

  • fēn Shì yì zhǒng huà xué wù zhì.
    Phenol is a chemical substance.
  • Zhè zhǒng xiāo dú shuǐ lǐ hán yǒu fēn.
    This disinfectant water contains phenol.
  • fēn Kě yǐ yòng lái zhì zuò sù liào.
    Phenol can be used to make plastic.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
yǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
fēnfēn
Same sound today

In 酚, the left part is 酉 and the right part is 分; 分 gives the sound.

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