硷 (jiǎn) — (variant of 碱) alkali, base
Definition
硷 (jiǎn) is a variant written form of 碱, the standard character for 'alkali / base' in chemical contexts.
verb
(variant of 碱) alkalibase
Examples
- 硷。Zhè zhǒng jiǎn xìng róng yè kě yǐ zhōng hé suān.This alkaline solution can neutralize acid.
- 硷。Shí yàn shì lǐ xū yào yòng dào jiǎn.Alkali is needed in the lab.
- 硷。Tǔ rǎng de jiǎn xìng tài gāo huì yǐng xiǎng zuò wù shēng zhǎng.If the soil's alkalinity is too high, it will affect crop growth.
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.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 礆; 硷 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān礆
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 礆 is made from 石 (stone) and 僉, which gives the sound; the simplified 硷 is a later shorthand.
Appears in
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