酸度 (suān dù) — acidity (in chemistry)

Definition

noun

acidity (in chemistry)

酸度。
Wǒ men xū yào cè liáng róng yè de suān dù.
We need to measure the acidity of the solution.
酸度，。
Zhè ge tǔ rǎng de suān dù tài gāo le, bú shì hé zhòng huā.
The acidity of this soil is too high, not suitable for planting flowers.
酸度。
Shí wù zhōng de suān dù huì yǐng xiǎng wèi dào.
The acidity in food affects the taste.

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.

“酸” means sour or acid and “度” means degree, together naming the degree of acidity.

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.

酉夋酸

Meaning part形符xíngfú

酉酉yǒu

Sound part声符shēngfú

夋

夋qūn酸suān

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

酸 is built from 酉 and 夋, and 夋 gives the sound.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

石

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

度 has 又 (hand) and a changed form of 石; 石 gives a related sound, and the hand is tied to using the hand as a reference for measurement.