海藻 (hǎi zǎo) — seaweed; marine algae

Definition

noun
seaweedmarine algae
Measure word · 棵

Examples

  • 海藻。
    hǎi zǎo Fù hán wéi shēng sù hé kuàng wù zhì.
    Seaweed is rich in vitamins and minerals.
  • 海藻。
    Zhè zhǒng hǎi zǎo kě yǐ yòng lái zuò féi liào.
    This type of seaweed can be used as fertilizer.
  • 海藻。
    hǎi zǎo Zài rì běn liào lǐ zhōng hěn cháng jiàn.
    Seaweed is very common in Japanese cuisine.

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.

海hǎisea
藻zǎoalgae

Algae that grow in the sea.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
每
每měi海hǎi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

海 pairs 氵 (water) with 每, which gives the sound. The 氵 side shows it is about water.

Open 海 →

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
澡
澡zǎo藻zǎo
Same sound today

藻 is built from 艹, a grass sign, placed over 澡, which provides the sound zǎo.

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Plants & Flowers

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.