塑料纸 (sù liào zhǐ) — plastic wrap; cling film; plastic sheet; plastic film

Definition

noun
plastic wrapcling filmplastic sheetplastic film
Measure word · 张

Examples

  • 塑料纸。
    Tā yòng sù liào zhǐ bǎ shèng xià de cài bāo hǎo fàng jìn bīng xiāng.
    She used plastic wrap to cover the leftover food and put it in the fridge.
  • 塑料纸，。
    Zhè zhǒng sù liào zhǐ hěn hòu, shì hé yòng lái zuò fáng shuǐ céng.
    This type of plastic sheet is very thick and suitable for making a waterproof layer.
  • 塑料纸。
    Gōng rén bǎ yí dà juàn sù liào zhǐ pù zài dì shàng bǎo hù dì bǎn.
    The worker spread a large roll of plastic film on the floor to protect it.

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.

塑料plastic
塑sùmoldable料liàomaterial
偏正Modifier + head
纸zhǐpaper

塑料 gives the material, and 纸 gives the paper-like sheet, forming plastic wrap.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
朔
朔shuò塑sù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

塑 pairs 土 (earth) with 朔, which gives the sound.

Open 塑 →

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

料 combines 米 (rice) with 斗 (a dipper), showing rice being measured or gauged.

Open 料 →

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 紙; 纸 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
氏
氏shì紙zhǐ
Same sound today

For 纸, the traditional form 紙 combines 糸 (silk) with 氏 (the sound part).

Open 纸 →

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