燥 (zào) — dry and uncomfortable (of weather, air, or skin)
Definition
燥 (zào) means 'dry and uncomfortable' — used mainly for weather, air, or skin. Note that 干 (gān) is the plain 'dry'; 燥 specifically adds the discomfort/irritation sense.
adjective
dry and uncomfortable (of weather, air, or skin)
Examples
- 燥,。Zhè ge chéng shì dōng tiān hěn zào, wǒ de pí fū zǒng shì yǎng.This city is very dry in winter, and my skin always itches.
- 燥,。Kōng qì tài zào le, jì de duō hē shuǐ.The air is too dry — remember to drink plenty of water.
- 燥,。Zuì jìn tiān qì zào, chī diǎn lí kě yǐ rùn fèi.The weather has been dry lately; eating some pears can moisten the lungs.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
Sound part声符shēngfú
喿
喿zào燥zào
Same sound today
燥 is built from 火 (fire) and 喿, which gives its sound.
Appears in
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