试验室 (shì yàn shì) — laboratory

Definition

noun
laboratory
Measure word · 间

Examples

  • 试验室。
    Wǒ men zài shì yàn shì lǐ zuò huà xué shí yàn.
    We do chemistry experiments in the laboratory.
  • 试验室。
    Zhè ge shì yàn shì yǒu hěn duō xīn yí qì.
    This laboratory has many new instruments.
  • 试验室。
    Tā měi tiān zài shì yàn shì gōng zuò dào hěn wǎn.
    He works in the laboratory until very late every day.

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.

试验experiment
试shìtest验yànexamine
联合Side by side
室shìroom

The “试验” part gives experiment and “室” part gives room, together meaning a room for experiments.

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 試; 试 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
式
式shì試shì
Same sound today

The traditional form 試 puts 言 beside 式, and 式 gives the sound; the simplified 试 is the form of this character.

Open 试 →

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 驗; 验 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎ
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān驗yàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 驗 pairs 馬 (horse) with 僉 for sound; the simplified 验 is a later abbreviation.

Open 验 →

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
至
至zhì室shì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

室 puts 宀 (roof) over 至, the spot where someone stops, giving the meaning of a house or residence.

Open 室 →
Appears in
Science (General)

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