氧气 (yǎng qì) — oxygen | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Oxygen, a specific chemical element (O₂). 空气 is the general air we breathe; 气体 is any gas (e.g. hydrogen, nitrogen).

noun

oxygen

Examples

氧气。
Qián shuǐ de shí hou bì xū dài yǎng qì.
When diving, you must bring oxygen.
氧气。
Zhí wù zài guāng hé zuò yòng zhōng shì fàng yǎng qì.
Plants release oxygen in photosynthesis.
，氧气。
Gāo yuán shàng kōng qì xī bó, yǎng qì hěn shǎo.
On the plateau, the air is thin and oxygen is scarce.

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.

氧气 puts 氧 (oxygen) with 气 (gas), naming oxygen as a gaseous substance.

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

气气qìgas

Sound part声符shēngfú

養

養yǎng氧yǎng

Same sound today

氧 pairs 气 (gas) with 養 (to nourish), and 養 gives the sound yǎng.

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 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

气米氣

Meaning part形符xíngfú

米米mǐrice

Sound part声符shēngfú

气

气qì氣qì

Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Physics & Chemistry Materials & Substances 5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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