TongTong
Sign in

化验室 (huà yàn shì) — laboratory

Definition

noun
laboratory
Measure word · 间

Examples

  • 化验室。
    Wǒ zài huà yàn shì gōng zuò.
    I work in a laboratory.
  • 化验室。
    Zhè ge huà yàn shì yǒu hěn duō xīn shè bèi.
    This laboratory has a lot of new equipment.
  • 化验室。
    Tā měi tiān zài huà yàn shì zuò shí yàn.
    He does experiments in the laboratory every day.

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.

化验chemical test
化huàchemical验yàntest
偏正Modifier + head
室shìroom

化验 “chemical test” and 室 “room” combine to mean a room for laboratory tests.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

化 shows two person figures, one upright and one upside down, to give the idea of reversal or change.

Open 化 →

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 驗; 验 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎ
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān驗yàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 驗 pairs 馬 (horse) with 僉 for sound; the simplified 验 is a later abbreviation.

Open 验 →

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
至
至zhì室shì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

室 puts 宀 (roof) over 至, the spot where someone stops, giving the meaning of a house or residence.

Open 室 →
Appears in
Science (General)

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.