纤维 (xiān wéi) — fiber | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

fiber

Measure word · 种

Examples

纤维。
Duō chī cū liáng kě yǐ bǔ chōng xiān wéi.
Eating more coarse grains can supplement fiber.
纤维。
Zhè zhǒng xiān wéi mō qǐ lái hěn róu ruǎn.
This kind of fiber feels very soft.
。
Zhè zhǒng hé chéng xiān wéi hěn nài yòng.
This kind of synthetic fiber is very durable.

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.

A 纤维, fine as a thread, is a fiber.

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 纖; 纤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìsilk

Sound part声符shēngfú

韱

韱xiān纖qiàn

Same sound today

The traditional form 纖 uses 糸 for silk and 韱 for the sound; the simplified 纤 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

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 維; 维 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìthread

Sound part声符shēngfú

唯

唯wéi維wéi

Same sound today

In the traditional form 維, 糸 marks a thread meaning and 唯 provides the sound; the simplified 维 is a later shortened shape.

Appears in

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

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