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柏油 (bǎi yóu) — asphalt, pitch, tar (black sticky substance used for paving or waterproofing)

Definition

noun
asphaltpitchtar (black sticky substance used for paving or waterproofing)

Examples

  • 柏油。
    Zhè tiáo lù shì yòng bǎi yóu pù de.
    This road is paved with asphalt.
  • 柏油。
    Gōng rén zài wū dǐng shàng shuā le yī céng bǎi yóu.
    The workers painted a layer of tar on the roof.
  • 柏油。
    bǎi yóu Shì yì zhǒng zhòng yào de jiàn zhù cái liào.
    Asphalt is an important building material.

Origin

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
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái柏bǎi
Same sound today

柏 pairs 木, showing a tree, with 白, which gives the sound.

Open 柏 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
由
由yóu油yóu
Same sound today

油 is built from 氵, a water part, and 由, which supplies the sound.

Open 油 →
Appears in
Materials & Substances

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