火成岩 (huǒ chéng yán) — igneous rock

Definition

A geology term for rock formed from cooled and solidified magma or lava. Pair it with 火成 (igneous) rather than the sedimentary or metamorphic rock terms.

noun
igneous rock
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 火成岩。
    huǒ chéng yán De xíng chéng xū yào gāo wēn tiáo jiàn.
    The formation of igneous rock requires high temperature conditions.
  • 火成岩。
    Huǒ shān fù jìn cháng cháng kě yǐ jiàn dào huǒ chéng yán.
    Igneous rock can often be seen near volcanoes.
  • 火成岩。
    Zhè kuài biāo běn jiù shì yí kuài huǒ chéng yán.
    This specimen is a piece of igneous rock.

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.

火成formed by fire
火huǒfire成chéngform
偏正Modifier + head
岩yánrock

"火成" formed by fire and "岩" rock combine to mean igneous rock.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

火 is a simple drawing of a fire, with flames shown rising upward.

Open 火 →

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
戊戊wù
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng成chéng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Open 成 →

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 巖; 岩 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
山山shānmountain
Sound part声符shēngfú
嚴
嚴yán巖yán
Same sound today

The traditional form 巖 combines 山 (mountain) with 嚴, a part that gives the sound; the simplified 岩 is a later shorthand, and its parts are not the original parts.

Open 岩 →

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