强酸 (qiáng suān) — strong acid

Definition

A chemistry term for an acid that fully ionizes in water (e.g. hydrochloric, sulfuric), contrasting with 弱酸. Strictly scientific register — used in lab and textbook contexts, not daily speech.

noun
strong acid

Examples

  • 强酸。
    Shí yàn zhōng shǐ yòng le qiáng suān.
    A strong acid was used in the experiment.
  • 强酸。
    qiáng suān Jù yǒu qiáng liè de fǔ shí xìng.
    Strong acids are highly corrosive.
  • 强酸。
    Chǔ lǐ qiáng suān shí bì xū dài shǒu tào.
    You must wear gloves when handling strong acids.

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.

强qiángstrong
酸suānacid

强 (strong) + 酸 (acid) names a highly corrosive acid.

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 強; 强 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 強 pairs an insect component with a sound component; this explains 強, not the simplified 强.

Open 强 →

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
酉酉yǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
夋
夋qūn酸suān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

酸 is built from 酉 and 夋, and 夋 gives the sound.

Open 酸 →

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