滴管 (dī guǎn) — dropper (for medicine, eye drops); pipette (for…

Definition

noun

dropper (for medicine, eye drops)pipette (for laboratory use)

Measure word · 支

滴管。
Qǐng yòng dī guǎn bǎ yào shuǐ dī jìn yǎn jing lǐ.
Please use the dropper to put the medicine drops into your eyes.
滴管。
Shí yàn shì lǐ cháng yòng dī guǎn lái yí qǔ shǎo liàng yè tǐ.
Pipettes are often used in labs to transfer small amounts of liquid.
滴管。
Zhè zhǒng dī guǎn de kè dù fēi cháng jīng què.
The scale on this kind of pipette is very accurate.

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.

“滴” refers to drops, and “管” is a tube, so the word denotes a tube that releases drops.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

啻

啻chì滴dī

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

滴 has 水, meaning water, on the left, and 啻 on the right, which tells how it sounds.

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

竹官管

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

官

Same sound today

管 has 竹 (bamboo) on top to show it relates to bamboo, and 官 gives its sound.