晶体 (jīng tǐ) — crystal | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

crystal

Measure word · 个

晶体。
Zhè zhǒng jīng tǐ zài yáng guāng xià shǎn shǎn fā guāng.
This type of crystal sparkles in the sunlight.
晶体。
Shuǐ zài dī wēn xià huì jié chéng jīng tǐ.
Water will form crystals at low temperatures.
晶体。
jīng tǐ De jié gòu fēi cháng guī zé.
The structure of crystals is very regular.

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.

晶 gives the crystal-like quality, while 体 refers to a body, so the sense is a crystalline body.

Characters in this word

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

晶 is drawn as three suns placed together, giving a picture of bright light.

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

骨豊體

Meaning part形符xíngfú

骨骨gǔbone

Sound part声符shēngfú

豊

豊lǐ體tǐ

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

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