(měi) — magnesium

Definition

noun
magnesium
Measure word ·

Examples

  • měi Shì yì zhǒng zhòng yào de jīn shǔ yuán sù.
    Magnesium is an important metal element.
  • Zhè zhǒng hé jīn hán yǒu měi hé lǚ.
    This alloy contains magnesium and aluminum.
  • Rén tǐ xū yào shè rù shì liàng de měi.
    The human body needs to take in an appropriate amount of magnesium.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鎂; 镁 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
měiměi
Same sound today

The traditional form 鎂 puts 金 (metal) beside 美, which gives the sound; the simplified 镁 is a later shorthand.

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