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沥青 (lì qīng) — asphalt; bitumen

Definition

noun
asphaltbitumen

Examples

  • 沥青。
    Gōng rén men zhèng zài lù shang pù lì qīng.
    Workers are paving asphalt on the road.
  • 沥青。
    Zhè zhǒng lì qīng kě yǐ yòng lái zuò wū dǐng fáng shuǐ.
    This type of bitumen can be used for roof waterproofing.
  • 沥青。
    Jiàn zhù gōng sī xū yào dà liàng lì qīng lái xiū gāo sù gōng lù.
    The construction company needs a large amount of asphalt to build the expressway.

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.

沥lìdrip
青qīngblack

It names a black, drip-like resin: 沥 'drip' and 青 'black'.

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 瀝; 沥 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
歷
歷lì瀝lì
Same sound today

The traditional form 瀝 pairs 水 (water) with the sound part 歷; the simplified 沥 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

An early form of 青 combined 生 and 井, both used for sound; the modern form has changed.

Open 青 →
Appears in
Materials & Substances

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