热水瓶 (rè shuǐ píng) — thermos bottle, insulated water bottle

Definition

noun
thermos bottleinsulated water bottle
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 热水瓶。
    Zhè ge rè shuǐ píng néng bǎo wēn shí èr gè xiǎo shí.
    This thermos bottle can keep warm for twelve hours.
  • 热水瓶。
    Tā wǎng rè shuǐ píng lǐ dào mǎn le kāi shuǐ.
    He poured boiling water into the thermos until it was full.
  • 热水瓶。
    Chū qù lǚ xíng shí bié wàng le dài shàng rè shuǐ píng.
    Don't forget to bring a thermos when you travel.

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.

热水hot water
热rèhot水shuǐwater
偏正Modifier + head
瓶píngbottle

热水 means hot water and 瓶 is a container, so the word names a bottle for hot water.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 熱; 热 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì熱rè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 熱 pairs 埶 with 火 (written as 灬) to show heat, while 埶 gives a sound.

Open 热 →

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

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

Open 水 →

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
瓦瓦wǎearthenware
Sound part声符shēngfú
并
并bìng瓶píng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

瓶 uses 瓦 to show an earthenware vessel and 并 for the sound. The original vessel had a long slender neck and narrow mouth.

Open 瓶 →

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