喷洒 (pēn sǎ) — to spray (liquid, pesticide, etc.); to sprinkle | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A concrete action verb meaning to spray or sprinkle a liquid (water, pesticide, etc.) over a surface or area. Pairs with objects like 水, 农药, or 杀虫剂.

verb

to spray (liquid, pesticide, etc.)to sprinkle

Examples

喷洒。
Nóng mín zài tián lǐ pēn sǎ nóng yào.
The farmer is spraying pesticide in the field.
喷洒。
Tā yòng pēn hú gěi huā pēn sǎ shuǐ.
She uses a watering can to sprinkle water on the flowers.
喷洒。
Xiāo fáng yuán yòng shuǐ qiāng pēn sǎ shuǐ miè huǒ.
The firefighters used water guns to spray water to put out the fire.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

洒sǎsprinkle

喷 (spray out) and 洒 (sprinkle) combine to mean spray or sprinkle.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 噴; 喷 is its simplified writing.

口賁噴

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

賁

賁bì噴pēn

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 噴 pairs 口, mouth, with 賁 for the sound; the simplified 喷 is a later shorthand.

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

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

西

西xī洒sǎ

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

洒 combines 水, the water part, with 西, which gives the sound.

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