(zhǐ) — ester

Definition

noun
ester

Examples

  • Zhè zhǒng zhǐ cháng yòng yú zhì zuò xiāng liào.
    This type of ester is often used to make fragrances.
  • Kē xué jiā fā xiàn le yì zhǒng xīn de zhǐ.
    Scientists discovered a new ester.
  • zhǐ Zài shí pǐn gōng yè zhōng hěn cháng jiàn.
    Esters are very common in the food industry.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
yǒuoxygenated functional group
Sound part声符shēngfú
zhǐzhǐ
Same sound today

The left 酉 part marks it as an oxygenated organic compound, and the right 旨 part gives the sound.

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