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等离子 (děng lí zǐ) — plasma (physics)

Definition

noun
plasma (physics)

Examples

  • 等离子。
    děng lí zǐ Shì wù zhì de yì zhǒng zhuàng tài.
    Plasma is a state of matter.
  • 等离子。
    Tài yáng de nèi bù chōng mǎn le gāo wēn děng lí zǐ.
    The interior of the sun is filled with high-temperature plasma.
  • 等离子。
    Kē xué jiā yòng děng lí zǐ qiē gē jīn shǔ.
    Scientists use plasma to cut metal.

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.

等děngequal
离子ion
离líseparate子zǐparticle
偏正Modifier + head

“等” means equal and “离子” names ions, together suggesting a state of equal ions.

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
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì等děng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The top 竹 shows bamboo strips used for writing and sorting; the bottom 寺 once gave the sound, but now sounds different.

Open 等 →

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 離; 离 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
隹隹zhuībird
Sound part声符shēngfú
离
离lí離lí
Same sound today

The traditional form 離 pairs 隹, a bird, with the sound part 离; the simplified 离 is a shorthand. This form first wrote a black-naped oriole, and the sound was borrowed for 'leave'.

Open 离 →

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →
Appears in
Physics & Chemistry

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