红糖 (hóng táng) — brown sugar | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

brown sugar

Measure word · 块

Examples

红糖。
Wǒ xǐ huan yòng hóng táng zuò tián diǎn.
I like to use brown sugar to make desserts.
红糖。
Zhè zhǒng hóng táng bǐ bái táng gèng yǒu yíng yǎng.
This kind of brown sugar is more nutritious than white sugar.
红糖。
Mā ma zài chāo shì mǎi le liǎng dài hóng táng.
Mom bought two bags of brown sugar at the supermarket.

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.

红 (red/brown) and 糖 (sugar) combine to name the brown sweet made from cane.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 紅; 红 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìsilk

Sound part声符shēngfú

工

工gōng紅hóng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 紅 puts 糸 (silk) next to 工, which gives the sound; the simplified 红 is a later shorthand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

米唐糖

Meaning part形符xíngfú

米米mǐrice

Sound part声符shēngfú

唐

Same sound today

糖 is made from 米 (rice) and 唐, which gives the sound táng.

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.