熔解 (róng jiě) — to melt, to fuse (by heat)

Definition

Refers specifically to melting or fusing caused by heat (solids turning to liquid). More technical than the everyday 融化, which can also mean thawing or dissolving in everyday contexts.

verb
to meltto fuse (by heat)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 熔解。
    Gāo wēn shǐ jīn shǔ róng jiě chéng yè tǐ.
    High temperatures cause metal to melt into liquid.
  • 熔解。
    Zhè kuài kuàng shí xū yào jiā rè cái néng róng jiě.
    This ore needs to be heated before it can fuse.
  • 熔解。
    Bō li zài róng jiě hòu huì biàn de tòu míng.
    Glass becomes transparent after it melts.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

熔róngmelt
解jiědissolve

熔 means melt and 解 means dissolve, together giving the sense of melting or fusing.

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
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
容
容róng熔
Same sound today

熔 has 火 on the left, showing fire, and 容 on the right, giving its sound.

Open 熔 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

解 shows 刀 (knife) separating 角 (horn) from 牛 (cow), giving the picture of cutting up an ox.

Open 解 →

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