调节剂 (tiáo jié jì) — regulator, conditioning agent (substance that adjusts or modulates a process)

Definition

A 调节剂 is a chemical substance that adjusts or modulates a process (pH, growth, reaction rate). In a sentence, 量词 is usually 种 — '一种调节剂' (a type of regulator).

noun
regulatorconditioning agent (substance that adjusts or modulates a process)

Examples

  • 调节剂。
    Zhè zhǒng tiáo jié jì kě yǐ wěn dìng róng yè de suān jiǎn dù.
    This regulator can stabilize the pH of the solution.
  • 调节剂。
    Shí yàn zhōng shǐ yòng le yì zhǒng xīn xíng tiáo jié jì.
    A new type of conditioning agent was used in the experiment.
  • 调节剂。
    Zhè ge gōng chǎng dà liàng shēng chǎn zhí wù shēng zhǎng tiáo jié jì.
    This factory mass-produces plant growth regulators.

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.

调节adjust and regulate
调tiáoadjust节jiéregulate
联合Side by side
剂jìsubstance

调节 combines adjust and regulate, and 剂 names the substance that does this.

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 調; 调 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
周
周zhōu調tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 調 pairs 言 (speech) with 周, which shows how it was pronounced. The simplified 调 is a later shorthand.

Open 调 →

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 節; 节 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺮Written in full as竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
即
即jí節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 節 pairs ⺮ (bamboo) with 即, which gives the sound; the bamboo part points to a node of bamboo. The simplified 节 is a later abbreviation.

Open 节 →

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 劑; 剂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刂Written in full as刀dāo
Sound part声符shēngfú
齊
齊qí劑jì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 劑, 齊 gives the sound and 刂 (刀, a knife) shows the meaning. The simplified 剂 is a later shorthand.

Open 剂 →

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