醋酸 (cù suān) — acetic acid | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

acetic acid

醋酸。
Shí yàn shì lǐ xū yào yì píng cù suān.
The lab needs a bottle of acetic acid.
醋酸。
Zhè zhǒng tiáo liào hán yǒu shǎo liàng cù suān.
This seasoning contains a small amount of acetic acid.
醋酸。
cù suān Kě yǐ yòng lái qīng xǐ shuǐ gòu.
Acetic acid can be used to clean limescale.

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.

醋cùvinegar

醋 is vinegar and 酸 is acid, so the term names the acid found in vinegar.

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.

酉昔醋

Meaning part形符xíngfú

酉酉yǒu

Sound part声符shēngfú

昔

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

醋 is formed by placing 酉 beside 昔; 昔 supplies the sound, and 酉 marks the meaning.

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

酉夋酸

Meaning part形符xíngfú

酉酉yǒu

Sound part声符shēngfú

夋

夋qūn酸suān

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

酸 is built from 酉 and 夋, and 夋 gives the sound.