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硝化 (xiāo huā) — (chemistry) to nitrify

Definition

A technical chemistry verb: the bacterial oxidation of ammonia (or ammonium) into nitrite, then nitrate. Used in nitrogen-cycle and soil-science contexts.

verb
(chemistry) to nitrify

Examples

  • ，硝化。
    Zài tǔ rǎng zhōng, xì jūn kě yǐ xiāo huā ān.
    In soil, bacteria can nitrify ammonia.
  • 硝化。
    Zhè ge guò chéng kě yǐ jiāng yà xiāo suān yán xiāo huā chéng xiāo suān yán.
    This process can nitrify nitrite into nitrate.
  • 硝化。
    xiāo huā Fǎn yìng shì dàn xún huán zhōng de guān jiàn yí bù.
    The nitrification reaction is a key step in the nitrogen cycle.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

硝xiāosaltpeter
化huàturn into

硝 (saltpeter) and 化 (turn into) combine to mean make something nitrated.

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
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
肖
肖xiào硝xiāo
Same sound today

硝 is built from 石, “stone,” and 肖, which provides the sound.

Open 硝 →

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

化 shows two person figures, one upright and one upside down, to give the idea of reversal or change.

Open 化 →
Appears in
Physics & Chemistry

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