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放射性 (fàng shè xìng) — radioactivity

Definition

noun
radioactivity

Examples

  • 放射性。
    Zhè zhǒng cái liào yǒu hěn qiáng de fàng shè xìng.
    This material has strong radioactivity.
  • 放射性。
    Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū fàng shè xìng duì huán jìng de yǐng xiǎng.
    Scientists are studying the impact of radioactivity on the environment.
  • 放射性。
    Cháng qī jiē chù fàng shè xìng kě néng huì wēi hài jiàn kāng.
    Long-term exposure to radioactivity may harm health.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

放射give off rays
放fàngrelease射shèshoot
联合Coordinate
性xìngproperty

放射 gives off rays; 性 names the quality of doing so.

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
攵Written in full as攴pūhand, action
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng放fàng
Same sound today

放 uses 方 for its sound and 攵, a hand/action part, to mark an action of release.

Open 放 →

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

In 射, the left part comes from 弓 (bow) and 矢 (arrow), and the right part comes from a hand drawing the bowstring.

Open 射 →

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
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
生
生shēng性xìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

性 is built from 忄 (the heart) and 生 (a sound clue). The heart part connects the word to a person's inner nature or quality.

Open 性 →
Appears in
Physics & Chemistry

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