麝香 (shè xiāng) — musk

Definition

noun
musk

Examples

  • 麝香。
    Zhè zhǒng shè xiāng shì zhì zuò gāo dàng xiāng shuǐ de zhòng yào yuán liào.
    This type of musk is an important ingredient for making high-end perfume.
  • 麝香。
    Zhōng yī lǐ yǒu shí huì yòng shè xiāng lái zhì liáo xīn jiǎo tòng.
    In traditional Chinese medicine, musk is sometimes used to treat angina.
  • 茸麝香。
    Lù róng hé shè xiāng dōu shì zhēn guì de dòng wù yào cái.
    Deer antler and musk are both precious animal medicinal materials.

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.

麝shèmusk deer
香xiāngfragrance

麝 refers to the musk deer and 香 to its strong scent.

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
射
射shè麝shè
Same sound today

麝 is made from 鹿 and 射. 鹿 relates to the character's meaning, and 射 gives its sound.

Open 麝 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

香's early form paired 黍 (glutinous millet) with 口 (mouth), perhaps showing millet drink being taken in or offered.

Open 香 →

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