液

yè

夜 + 氵

Definitions

yè (noun) liquid; fluid

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 夜 represents the sound.

Semantic: 氵 Phonetic: 夜

About

液 is a phono-semantic compound with the water radical 氵 (shuǐ) on the left, which situates it within the semantic field of liquids and aqueous substances. The right component, 夜 (yè, night), functions solely as a phonetic element indicating pronunciation. Thanks to the water radical, the character fundamentally denotes any substance in a fluid state, contrasting with solids and gases. It is used broadly across scientific, medical, and everyday contexts to refer to bodily fluids, chemical solutions, plant sap, and other flowing materials with properties similar to water.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

杯子里有透明的液体。

Bēizi lǐ yǒu tòumíng de yètǐ.

There is transparent liquid in the cup.

血液在身体里流动。

Xuèyè zài shēntǐ lǐ liúdòng.

Blood flows in the body.

化学老师配置了溶液。

Huàxué lǎoshī pèizhì le róngyè.

The chemistry teacher prepared a solution.

厨房里使用液化气。

Chúfáng lǐ shǐyòng yèhuàqì.

The kitchen uses liquefied gas.

运动后要补充体液。

Yùndòng hòu yào bǔchōng tǐyè.

After exercise, you need to replenish bodily fluids.

这种药物的液体形式更容易吸收。

Zhè zhǒng yàowù de yètǐ xíngshì gèng róngyì xīshōu.

The liquid form of this medicine is easier to absorb.

实验室里存放着各种化学液体。

Shíyànshì lǐ cúnfàng zhe gè zhǒng huàxué yètǐ.

Various chemical liquids are stored in the laboratory.

通过离心机分离血液中的不同成分。

Tōngguò líxīnjī fēnlí xuèyè zhōng de bùtóng chéngfèn.

Separate different components in blood through a centrifuge.

Related Characters

Component: 夜

Component: 氵

液