粉状 (fěn zhuàng) — powdery state, powder form | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

powdery statepowder form

Examples

粉状，。
Zhè zhǒng yào shì fěn zhuàng de, xū yào yòng shuǐ chōng fú.
This medicine is in powder form and needs to be taken mixed with water.
粉状，。
Miàn fěn shì fěn zhuàng wù zhì, róng yì fēi yáng.
Flour is a powdery substance that easily becomes airborne.
粉状，。
Xuě biàn chéng fěn zhuàng shí, huá xuě de tǐ yàn huì gèng hǎo.
When the snow turns powdery, the skiing experience is better.

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.

状zhuàngstate

“粉” powder and “状” state describe a powdery form.

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.

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 狀; 状 is its simplified writing.

爿犬狀

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

爿

爿pán狀zhuàng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 狀 pairs 犬 (dog) with 爿 as a sound component; the simplified 状 is a shorthand, not the historical shape.

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