结块 (jié kuài) — to form lumps or clumps; to curdle (for liquids like milk)

Definition

An intransitive verb meaning a powder or liquid collects into solid lumps — 'to clump' (flour, cement) or 'to curdle' (milk). Cannot take a direct object.

verb
to form lumps or clumpsto curdle (for liquids like milk)

Examples

  • 结块。
    Miàn fěn jié kuài le.
    The flour has formed lumps.
  • 。
    Zhè dài shuǐ ní jié le yí dà kuài.
    This bag of cement formed a big lump.
  • 结块，。
    Niú nǎi yǐ jīng jié kuài le, bù néng hē le.
    The milk has curdled; it's undrinkable.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

结jiéform
块kuàilump

结 means to form or knot, and 块 means lump; together they describe forming lumps or curdling.

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 結; 结 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
吉
吉jí結jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 結 pairs 糸 with 吉; 吉 gives the sound, and 糸 relates to the meaning. The simplified 结 is a later shorthand.

Open 结 →

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 塊; 块 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth; dust
Sound part声符shēngfú
鬼
鬼guǐ塊kuài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 塊 pairs 土 (earth; dust) with 鬼 as a sound part to show a clod of dirt. The simplified 块 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 块 →

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