污迹 (wū jì) — stain, smear, smudge | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

stainsmearsmudge

Measure word · 块

Examples

污迹。
Yī fu shàng yǒu wū jì.
There is a stain on the clothes.
污迹。
Tā yòng shī bù cā diào le qiáng shàng de wū jì.
He wiped off the smudge on the wall with a wet cloth.
污迹。
Zhè zhǒng qīng jié jì néng qù chú gè zhǒng wū jì.
This kind of cleaner can remove all kinds of stains.

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.

污迹 is 污 dirt and 迹 trace/mark, a mark left by dirt.

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

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.

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

辶Written in full as辵chuòmove

Sound part声符shēngfú

朿

朿cì迹jì

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

迹 pairs 辶, a movement part, with 亦, a sound part; an older form used 朿.

Appears in

Cleaning & Chores

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