About
The character "氧" for the element oxygen is a relatively modern scientific creation, formulated in East Asia during the 19th century as part of a systematic effort to name chemical elements. Its structure is a straightforward semantic-phonetic compound, combining the "gas" radical (气) on the left to categorize its state as a gaseous element, with the component "羊" (yáng) on the right acting primarily as a phonetic indicator to suggest its pronunciation. This construction is consistent in both its traditional and simplified forms, which are identical. Unlike many characters with long histories, "氧" did not undergo a shift in meaning over centuries; its meaning was precisely and exclusively defined upon its creation to represent the specific chemical element, derived from the Western concept of "oxygen" which itself means "acid-former".
Example Sentences Hide
植物产生氧气。
人类呼吸需要氧气。
水中有溶解的氧气。
登山者携带氧气瓶。
铁在空气中会氧化。
医院给病人提供氧气。
光合作用释放出氧气。
臭氧层保护地球免受紫外线伤害。