涂层 (tú céng) — coating, coat (layer of paint, varnish, or other protective material)

Definition

noun
coatingcoat (layer of paint, varnish, or other protective material)
Measure word · 层

Examples

  • 涂层。
    Zhè zhǒng tú céng kě yǐ fáng zhǐ jīn shǔ shēng xiù.
    This coating can prevent metal from rusting.
  • 涂层。
    Shǒu jī píng mù shàng de tú céng fēi cháng jiān gù.
    The coating on the phone screen is very strong.
  • 涂层。
    Wǒ men xū yào gěi qiáng bì shuā yī céng tú céng.
    We need to apply a layer of coating to the wall.

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.

涂túapply
层cénglayer

“涂” means apply and describes “层” layer, meaning a layer put on a surface.

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
余
余yú涂tú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

涂 has 氵 on the left, a form of 水 meaning water, and 余 on the right for the sound.

Open 涂 →

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 層; 层 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
尸尸shī
Sound part声符shēngfú
曾
曾céng層céng
Same sound today

The traditional form 層 uses 尸 for the meaning and 曾 for the sound; the simplified 层 is a later abbreviation.

Open 层 →

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