色素 (sè sù) — pigment | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

pigment

Examples

色素。
Zhè zhǒng zhí wù hán yǒu tiān rán sè sù.
This plant contains natural pigments.
色素。
Shí wù zhōng de sè sù kě yǐ yǐng xiǎng yán sè.
Pigments in food can affect color.
色素。
Kē xué jiā zài yán jiū zhè zhǒng xīn xíng sè sù.
Scientists are studying this new type of pigment.

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.

素sùelement

色 means color and 素 means element, so 色素 is a coloring substance.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

爪爪zhuǎclaw; hand
卩卩jiékneeling person

色 pairs 爪 (a hand) with 卩 (a kneeling person), showing a hand pressing down on the kneeling person.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 素 came from a picture of hands braiding thread.

Appears in

Materials & Substances

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