油库 (yóu kù) — oil depot, tank farm | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

oil depottank farm

Measure word · 座

油库。
Zhè ge yóu kù chǔ cún le dà liàng de shí yóu.
This oil depot stores a large amount of petroleum.
油库。
yóu kù Fù jìn jìn zhǐ xī yān.
Smoking is prohibited near the oil depot.
油库。
Tā men zhèng zài kuò jiàn yí zuò xīn de yóu kù.
They are expanding a new oil depot.

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.

油 gives oil and 库 gives a storage place, so it names a depot for oil.

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.

氵由油

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

由

Same sound today

油 is built from 氵, a water part, and 由, which supplies the sound.

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 庫; 库 is its simplified writing.

广車庫

Meaning part形符xíngfú

广广guǎngbuilding

Sound part声符shēngfú

車

車jū庫kù

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

The traditional form 庫 pairs 广 (building) with 車 (sound); the building part points to a storehouse. The simplified 库 is a later shorthand.