水杨酸 (shuǐ yáng suān) — salicylic acid (a chemical compound used in skincare and medicine)

Definition

Salicylic acid — a beta-hydroxy acid used in skincare to exfoliate, unclog pores, and treat acne.

noun
salicylic acid (a chemical compound used in skincare and medicine)

Examples

  • 水杨酸，。
    Zhè kuǎn xǐ miàn nǎi hán yǒu shuǐ yáng suān, shì hé yóu xìng pí fū.
    This facial cleanser contains salicylic acid and is suitable for oily skin.
  • 水杨酸。
    shuǐ yáng suān Kě yǐ bāng zhù qù chú sǐ pí xì bāo.
    Salicylic acid can help remove dead skin cells.
  • 。
    Yī shēng jiàn yì yòng shuǐ yáng suān zhì liáo qīng dù cuó chuāng.
    The doctor recommends using salicylic acid to treat mild acne.

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.

水杨water willow
水shuǐwater杨yángpoplar/willow
偏正Modifier + head
酸suānacid

水杨 gives the willow source and 酸 gives the acid.

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 →

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 楊; 杨 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùtree, wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
昜
昜yáng楊yáng
Same sound today

The traditional form 楊 pairs 木 (tree, wood) with 昜, which gives the sound. The simplified 杨 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the old sound part.

Open 杨 →

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
酉酉yǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
夋
夋qūn酸suān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

酸 is built from 酉 and 夋, and 夋 gives the sound.

Open 酸 →

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