石蕊 (shí ruǐ) — (noun) litmus (chemical indicator used in acid-base tests); (noun) reindeer moss, Cladonia rangiferina (a type of lichen)

Definition

Two unrelated meanings share this word: in chemistry, a litmus indicator used in acid-base tests; in botany, reindeer moss (a lichen). The scientific context makes the intended sense clear.

noun
litmus (chemical indicator used in acid-base tests)reindeer mossCladonia rangiferina (a type of lichen)

Examples

  • 石蕊。
    shí ruǐ Shì zhǐ kě yǐ yòng lái cè shì róng yè de suān jiǎn xìng.
    Litmus paper can be used to test the acidity or alkalinity of a solution.
  • ，石蕊。
    Zài běi jí dì qū, shí ruǐ shì xùn lù de zhǔ yào shí wù zhī yī.
    In the Arctic region, reindeer moss is one of the main foods for reindeer.
  • 石蕊。
    Huà xué shí yàn shì lǐ cháng yòng shí ruǐ lái jiǎn cè wù zhì de xìng zhì.
    In chemistry labs, litmus is often used to test the properties of substances.

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.

石shístone
蕊ruǐstamen

石 (stone) and 蕊 (flower heart) name a lichen resembling small stone-like flower parts.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 石 shows a stone under a cliff-like overhang, or a cave set into a cliff side.

Open 石 →

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
艸艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
惢
惢suǒ蕊ruǐ
Same sound today

蕊 is built from 艸 and 惢: 艸 is the meaning part, and 惢 gives the sound.

Open 蕊 →

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