杂质 (zá zhì) — impurity; foreign matter (in chemistry, materia…

Definition

noun

impurityforeign matter (in chemistry, materials, etc.)

Examples

，杂质。
Zhè zhǒng shuǐ jīng guò guò lǜ hòu, zá zhì bèi qù chú le.
After filtration, the impurities are removed from this water.
，杂质。
Huà xué shí yàn zhōng, zá zhì huì yǐng xiǎng fǎn yìng jié guǒ.
In chemical experiments, impurities can affect the reaction results.
杂质。
Shí pǐn zhōng bù néng hán yǒu yǒu hài zá zhì.
Food must not contain harmful impurities.

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.

杂zámixed/impure

质zhìsubstance

杂 gives mixed or impure to 质, yielding impure matter.

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 雜; 杂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

衣衣yī

Sound part声符shēngfú

集

集jí雜zá

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

The traditional form 雜 pairs 衣 (clothes) with 集 as a sound part, originally referring to mixed colours, perhaps in dyed clothes; the simplified 杂 is a later shorthand.

Open 杂 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 質; 质 is its simplified writing.

斦貝質