蒸汽 (zhēng qì) — steam

Definition

noun
steam
Measure word · 股
Easily confused

Examples

  • 蒸汽。
    zhēng qì Kě yǐ yòng lái fā diàn.
    Steam can be used to generate electricity.
  • 蒸汽。
    Zhè tái jī qì kào zhēng qì tuī dòng.
    This machine is driven by steam.
  • 蒸汽。
    zhēng qì Cóng guō lǐ mào chū lái.
    Steam comes out of the pot.

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.

蒸zhēngheat into vapor
汽qìvapor

蒸 refers to heating into vapor and 汽 is vapor, together denoting steam.

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
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
烝
烝zhēng蒸zhēng
Same sound today

蒸 pairs 艸 (grass) with 烝, which gives the sound.

Open 蒸 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì汽
Same sound today

The 氵 part is water, and 气 is used for the sound and also means air, so 汽 shows water in an air-like form.

Open 汽 →
Appears in
Materials & Substances

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