粉碎机 (fěn suì jī) — pulverizer, grinder

Definition

noun
pulverizergrinder
Measure word · 台

Examples

  • 粉碎机。
    Yòng zhè tái fěn suì jī kě yǐ dǎ suì dòu zi.
    You can use this grinder to crush beans.
  • 粉碎机。
    Gōng chǎng lǐ yǒu yì tái xīn de fěn suì jī.
    There is a new grinder in the factory.
  • 粉碎机。
    Xiǎo xīn bú yào bǎ shǒu fàng jìn fěn suì jī lǐ.
    Be careful not to put your hand into the grinder.

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.

粉碎pulverize
粉fěnpowder碎suìbroken
联合Side by side
机jīmachine

粉碎 conveys crushing into pieces, and 机 means machine, so a grinding machine.

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
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.

Open 粉 →

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
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
卒
卒zú碎suì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

碎 pairs 石 (stone) with 卒, which gives the sound; the stone part is tied to the sense of breaking or smashing.

Open 碎 →

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
木木mùtree; wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
几
几jǐ机jī
Same sound today

The left part is 木 (tree; wood), and the right part 几 gives the sound.

Open 机 →
Appears in
Industry & Manufacturing

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