电解液 (diàn jiě yè) — electrolyte solution

Definition

noun
electrolyte solution

Examples

  • 电解液。
    Zhè zhǒng diàn jiě yè néng dǎo diàn.
    This electrolyte solution can conduct electricity.
  • 电解液。
    Diàn chí lǐ de diàn jiě yè xū yào dìng qī gēng huàn.
    The electrolyte solution in the battery needs regular replacement.
  • 电解液。
    Shí yàn shì zhèng zài pèi zhì xīn de diàn jiě yè.
    The laboratory is preparing a new electrolyte solution.

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.

电解electric decomposition
电diànelectricity解jiědecompose
偏正Modifier + head
液yèliquid

电解 denotes electric decomposition, and 液 denotes liquid, naming the liquid involved in electrolysis.

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 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn電diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Open 电 →

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 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
夜
夜yè液yè
Same sound today

The left side 氵 is water, and the right side 夜 gives the sound; together they form 液, a liquid, like water.

Open 液 →

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