About
The character for salt, now written as "盐", originates from a more complex traditional form, "鹽", which visually encapsulates both the substance's source and the ancient method of its production. This traditional character is composed of two main elements: the upper component "卤" represents a vessel containing brine or raw saline earth, while the lower component "監" depicts a person looking over a basin, suggesting the act of monitoring or overseeing. This structure points to the process of evaporating brine in vessels to harvest the crystalline residue, directly linking the character's form to the practical art of salt-making. Over centuries, the meaning of the character has remained consistently specific to the essential mineral compound, with its evolution primarily being one of graphical simplification for ease of writing, ultimately condensing the idea into the modern, streamlined form.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
汤里需要加点盐。
食盐是重要的调味品。
少吃盐对健康有好处。
这个湖的盐度非常高。
盐的主要成分是氯化钠。
古代盐业曾由国家专营。
这些盐渍土壤需要改良。
盐矿的开采历史非常悠久。