粉末 (fěn mò) — fine powder, dust | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

粉末 is a fine, processed powder (metal dust, coffee grounds) — finer and more manufactured than 土 (raw earth/dust) or 灰 (ash). 粉 alone emphasizes cosmetic/edible powder, not industrial dust.

noun

fine powderdust

Examples

粉末。
Kā fēi fěn mò yào mì fēng bǎo cún.
Coffee powder should be stored in an airtight container.
粉末。
Zhè zhǒng fěn mò kě yǐ yòng lái zuò miàn mó.
This kind of powder can be used to make face masks.
粉末。
Gōng chǎng lǐ piāo zhe hěn duō jīn shǔ fěn mò.
A lot of metal dust floats in the factory.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

末mòfine particles

粉 (powder) and 末 (fine particles) together mean dust or powder.

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.

米分粉

Meaning part形符xíngfú

米米mǐrice

Sound part声符shēngfú

分

分fēn粉fěn

Same sound today

粉 pairs 米 (rice) with 分 for its sound. The rice part points to face powder made from rice.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

末 adds a mark at the top of a tree-like shape to show its tip or end.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Materials & Substances

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