橡胶树 (xiàng jiāo shù) — rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis)

Definition

noun

rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis)

Measure word · 棵

橡胶树。
xiàng jiāo shù Shì yì zhǒng zhòng yào de jīng jì zuò wù.
The rubber tree is an important cash crop.
。
Zhè zhòng shù de zhī yè kě yǐ yòng lái zhì zuò xiàng jiāo.
The sap of this tree can be used to make rubber.
，橡胶树。
Zài rè dài dì qū, xiàng jiāo shù shēng zhǎng dé hěn kuài.
In tropical regions, rubber trees grow very quickly.

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.

橡胶rubber

偏正Modifier + head

「橡胶」rubber and「树」tree together name a rubber-bearing tree.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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 膠; 胶 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat; flesh

Sound part声符shēngfú

翏

翏liù膠jiāo

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

The traditional form 膠 pairs ⺼ (meat; flesh) with 翏, 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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 樹; 树 is its simplified writing.

木尌樹

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

尌

尌shù樹shù

Same sound today

Originally 尌, 'to plant a tree', was written alone; the traditional form 樹 adds 木, 'tree', to it to differentiate.