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水分 (shuǐ fèn) — moisture content; (fig.) exaggeration, padding (in reports, data, etc.)

Definition

Literally 'water content' — the moisture in food or other substances, and figuratively the 'padded' or exaggerated part of a report or claim. Unlike 口气 ('boastful talk'), 水分 points to the inflated content itself, not the speaker's tone.

noun
moisture content(fig.) exaggerationpadding (in reports, data, etc.)

Examples

  • 水分，。
    Zhè zhǒng shū cài de shuǐ fèn hěn gāo, yào shǎo fàng shuǐ.
    This kind of vegetable has a high moisture content, so use less water when cooking.
  • 水分，。
    Tā de bào gào lǐ shuǐ fèn tài duō, bù zhēn shí.
    There's too much padding in his report — it's not truthful.
  • 水分，。
    Shuǐ guǒ hán yǒu dà liàng shuǐ fèn, suǒ yǐ hěn xīn xiān.
    Fruits contain a lot of moisture, so they are very fresh.

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.

水shuǐwater
分fēncontent

“水” and “分” combine to express the amount of water contained in something.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

Open 水 →

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

分 pairs 八 (to separate) with 刀 (knife), showing something cut apart with a knife.

Open 分 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Materials & Substances

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