防冻液 (fáng dòng yè) — antifreeze (coolant)

Definition

A compound noun for automotive 'antifreeze' (coolant fluid added to a car's radiator). Literally 'freeze-prevent liquid' — 防 ('prevent') + 冻 ('freeze') + 液 ('liquid').

noun
antifreeze (coolant)

Examples

  • 防冻液，。
    Dōng tiān yào jiā fáng dòng yè, bù rán shuǐ huì dòng.
    In winter you need to add antifreeze, otherwise the water will freeze.
  • 防冻液。
    Wǒ mǎi le yì píng fáng dòng yè.
    I bought a bottle of antifreeze.
  • 防冻液。
    Qì chē yào dìng qī jiǎn chá fáng dòng yè shì fǒu zú gòu.
    Cars need to regularly check whether the antifreeze is sufficient.

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.

防冻prevent freezing
防fángprevent冻dòngfreeze
动宾Verb + object
液yèliquid

“防冻” means prevent freezing and “液” means liquid, so it is a liquid that stops freezing.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng防fáng
Same sound today

防 pairs 阝 (written fully as 阜) with 方, which gives the sound.

Open 防 →

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 凍; 冻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
冫Written in full as仌bīng
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng凍dòng
Same sound today

The traditional form 凍 pairs 冫 (ice) with 東 for the sound; the simplified 冻 is a later shorthand.

Open 冻 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
夜
夜yè液yè
Same sound today

The left side 氵 is water, and the right side 夜 gives the sound; together they form 液, a liquid, like water.

Open 液 →

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