平滑 (píng huá) — smooth; level; even (surface)

Definition

adjective

smoothleveleven (surface)

平滑。
Zhè tiáo dào lù hěn píng huá.
This road is very smooth.
平滑。
Tā de pí fū fēi cháng píng huá.
Her skin is very smooth.
平滑。
Zhè zhāng zhǐ de biǎo miàn hěn píng huá.
The surface of this paper is very smooth.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

平 gives evenness and 滑 gives smoothness, together describing a level smooth surface.

Characters in this word

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

The origin is uncertain. One explanation combines 八 (division) and 亏 (exhaled air) to show smooth speech.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

骨

骨gǔ滑huá

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

滑 pairs 水 (water) with 骨, which gives the sound.

Appears in