斑岩 (bān yán) — (geology) porphyry

Definition

noun
(geology) porphyry
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 斑岩。
    Zhè zhǒng bān yán hán yǒu xǔ duō dà jīng tǐ.
    This type of porphyry contains many large crystals.
  • 斑岩。
    Dì zhì xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū zhè kuài bān yán de chéng yīn.
    Geologists are studying the formation of this porphyry.
  • 斑岩。
    bān yán Shì yì zhǒng cháng jiàn de huǒ chéng yán.
    Porphyry is a common type of igneous rock.

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.

斑bānspot
岩yánrock

"斑" (spot) and "岩" (rock) form a rock with spotted texture.

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
文文wénpattern
Sound part声符shēngfú
班
班bān斑bān
Same sound today

斑 uses 文 to show a pattern and 班 to give its sound.

Open 斑 →

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 巖; 岩 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
山山shānmountain
Sound part声符shēngfú
嚴
嚴yán巖yán
Same sound today

The traditional form 巖 combines 山 (mountain) with 嚴, a part that gives the sound; the simplified 岩 is a later shorthand, and its parts are not the original parts.

Open 岩 →

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