污染源 (wū rǎn yuán) — source of pollution; pollutant source

Definition

noun
source of pollutionpollutant source
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 污染源。
    Zhèng fǔ zhèng zài diào chá zhè tiáo hé de wū rǎn yuán.
    The government is investigating the pollution source of this river.
  • 污染源。
    Gōng chǎng shì chéng shì kōng qì wū rǎn de zhǔ yào wū rǎn yuán.
    Factories are the main pollution source of urban air pollution.
  • 污染源。
    Zhǎo dào wū rǎn yuán shì zhì lǐ huán jìng wū rǎn de dì yī bù.
    Finding the pollution source is the first step in controlling environmental pollution.

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.

污染pollution
污wūdirty染rǎnstain
联合Side by side
源yuánsource

污 and 染 both convey making something dirty, and together they specify the 源 that emits pollution.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 汙; 污 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
于
于yú汙wū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 汙 pairs 水 (water) with 于 for the sound; the simplified 污 is a later shorthand.

Open 污 →

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

染 combines 氵 (water), 九 (hook), and 木 (tree): something hung on a hook from a tree into water to dye it.

Open 染 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
原
原yuán源yuán
Same sound today

源 combines 水 (water) and 原 (origin): 水 points to water, and 原 gives the sound.

Open 源 →

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