亚硝酸盐 (yà xiāo suān yán) — nitrite

Definition

noun
nitrite

Examples

  • 亚硝酸盐。
    Zhè zhǒng shí wù lǐ hán yǒu yà xiāo suān yán.
    This food contains nitrite.
  • 亚硝酸盐。
    Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū yà xiāo suān yán duì rén tǐ de yǐng xiǎng.
    Scientists are studying the effects of nitrite on the human body.
  • 亚硝酸盐。
    Guò liàng shè rù yà xiāo suān yán kě néng yǒu hài jiàn kāng.
    Excessive intake of nitrite may be harmful to health.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

亚yàsub
硝酸盐nitrate salt
硝xiāosaltpeter酸suānacid盐yánsalt
偏正Modifier + head

亚 marks a lower oxidation state, and 硝酸盐 means nitrate salt.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 亞; 亚 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 亞 likely shows an overhead view of a construction, perhaps a 亞-shaped tomb. Its later simplified form 亚 is just a shorthand.

Open 亚 →

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
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
肖
肖xiào硝xiāo
Same sound today

硝 is built from 石, “stone,” and 肖, which provides the sound.

Open 硝 →

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
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.

Open 酸 →

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 鹽; 盐 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鹵鹵lǔsalt
Sound part声符shēngfú
監
監jiān鹽yán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鹽 uses 鹵 to show salt and 監 for the sound; the simplified 盐 is a later shorthand.

Open 盐 →

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