藻

zǎo

澡 + 艹

Definitions

zǎo aquatic grasses; elegant

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 澡 represents the sound.

Semantic: 艹 Phonetic: 澡

About

藻 is a phonosemantic compound: the grass radical 艹 on top indicates a plant, and the component 澡 below (which contains the water radical) provides the sound. Literally, it refers to aquatic plants, algae, seaweed, and similar vegetation in both marine and freshwater. From this, a figurative sense emerged denoting literary elegance and ornate, highly decorated writing. This extension draws on the intricate, interwoven patterns formed by water plants, and the character now appears in terms for refined rhetoric and embellished literary style.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

海藻生长在海里。

Hǎizǎo shēngzhǎng zài hǎi lǐ.

Seaweed grows in the sea.

池塘里有很多绿藻。

Chítáng lǐ yǒu hěn duō lǜzǎo.

There is a lot of green algae in the pond.

藻类植物非常古老。

Zǎolèi zhíwù fēichāng gǔlǎo.

Algae are very ancient plants.

科学家正在研究这些藻类。

Kēxuéjiā zhèngzài yánjiū zhèxiē zǎolèi.

Scientists are researching these algae.

海藻富含多种营养物质。

Hǎizǎo fùhán duō zhǒng yíngyǎng wùzhì.

Seaweed is rich in various nutrients.

这片水域发生了蓝藻水华。

Zhè piàn shuǐyù fāshēngle lánzǎo shuǐhuá.

A blue-green algae bloom has occurred in this water body.

藻类的过度繁殖会污染水源。

Zǎolèi de guòdù fánzhí huì wūrǎn shuǐyuán.

Excessive proliferation of algae can pollute water sources.

他们正在探索藻类生产生物燃料的潜力。

Tāmen zhèngzài tànsuǒ zǎolèi shēngchǎn shēngwù ránliào de qiánlì.

They are exploring the potential of algae for producing biofuel.

Related Characters

Component: 澡

藻