冰芯 (bīng xīn) — ice core (a cylindrical sample of ice drilled f… | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A cylindrical sample of ice drilled from a glacier or ice sheet, used by scientists to study ancient climate.

noun

ice core (a cylindrical sample of ice drilled from a glacier or ice sheet)

Measure word · 根

Examples

冰芯。
Kē xué jiā cóng nán jí zuàn qǔ le yì gēn bīng xīn.
Scientists drilled an ice core from Antarctica.
冰芯。
Yán jiū bīng xīn kě yǐ liǎo jiě gǔ dài de qì hòu biàn huà.
Studying ice cores can help us understand ancient climate changes.
冰芯。
Zhè gēn bīng xīn jì lù le wǔ qiān nián de qì hòu lì shǐ.
This ice core records five thousand years of climate history.

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.

冰 (ice) names the material of 芯 (core), giving a core of ice.

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.

冫水冰

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

冫

仌bīng冰bīng

Same sound today

冰 adds 水 (water) to 冫, the short form of 仌; 冫 gives the sound, and 水 shows the meaning.

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

艹心芯

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

心

心xīn芯xīn

Same sound today

The top part 艹 points to plant or grass materials, and the lower 心 gives the sound.

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