磷光 (lín guāng) — phosphorescence | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A scientific term for the glow a material gives off after light is removed. Unlike fluorescence, the light can persist for hours.

noun

phosphorescence

磷光。
Zhè zhǒng kuàng wù zài hēi àn zhōng huì fā chū wēi ruò de lín guāng.
This mineral emits faint phosphorescence in the dark.
磷光。
Nà jiàn wán jù shàng de lín guāng yán liào néng chí xù fā guāng hǎo jǐ gè xiǎo shí.
The phosphorescent paint on that toy can keep glowing for several hours.
磷光。
Huà xué kè shàng lǎo shī yǎn shì le lín guāng xiàn xiàng.
The teacher demonstrated the phosphorescence phenomenon in chemistry class.

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.

磷línphosphorus

'磷' refers to phosphorus and '光' to light, together meaning phosphorescent light.

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.

石粦磷

Meaning part形符xíngfú

石石shístone

Sound part声符shēngfú

粦

粦lín磷lín

Same sound today

磷 is built from 石 (stone) and 粦, which provides the sound.

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

The shape 光 places 火 (fire) above 卩 (a kneeling person), showing fire over the head and the shining of light.