暗室 (àn shì) — darkroom (for photography); dark or secret room | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

darkroom (for photography)dark or secret room

Measure word · 间

Examples

暗室。
Tā zài àn shì lǐ xǐ zhào piàn.
He is developing photos in the darkroom.
暗室。
Zhè zuò lǎo fáng zi yǒu yí gè mì mì de àn shì.
This old house has a secret dark room.
暗室。
Zhè ge àn shì lǐ duī mǎn le jiù shū.
This dark room is piled with old books.

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.

暗 describes the darkness, and 室 gives the room.

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.

日音暗

Meaning part形符xíngfú

日日rìsun

Sound part声符shēngfú

音

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

暗 pairs 日 (sun) with 音, which gives the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

宀至室

Meaning part形符xíngfú

宀宀miánroof

Sound part声符shēngfú

至

至zhì室shì

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

室 puts 宀 (roof) over 至, the spot where someone stops, giving the meaning of a house or residence.

Appears in

Photography & Design Rooms & Spaces

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.