密封圈 (mì fēng juān) — sealing ring; gasket; O-ring

Definition

noun
sealing ringgasketO-ring
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 密封圈，。
    Zhè ge mì fēng juān shì xiàng jiāo zuò de, hěn nài yòng.
    This sealing ring is made of rubber and is very durable.
  • 密封圈。
    Nǐ xū yào huàn yí gè xīn de mì fēng juān cái néng bú lòu shuǐ.
    You need to replace it with a new sealing ring so it won't leak water.
  • 密封圈。
    Zhè zhǒng mì fēng juān zài gāo wēn xià yě néng zhèng cháng gōng zuò.
    This type of sealing ring can work normally even at high temperatures.

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.

密封sealing
密mìtight封fēngseal
偏正Modifier + head
圈quānring

密封 gives the sealing function, and 圈 names the ring-shaped object.

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
山山shānmountain
Sound part声符shēngfú
宓
宓mì密mì
Same sound today

密 pairs 山 (mountain) with 宓 (mì), which gives the pronunciation, to picture something hidden in the mountains, hence secret.

Open 密 →

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
寸寸cùnhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
丰
丰fēng封fēng
Same sound today

The shape 封 is 丰 plus 土 (earth) plus 寸 (hand); 丰 was originally drawn as a tree seedling.

Open 封 →

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
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
卷
卷juàn圈quān
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

圈 is made of the outer 囗, an enclosure shape, and the inner 卷, which gives the sound.

Open 圈 →

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