Definitions
third of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shí tiān gān]; third in order; letter "C" or Roman "III" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc; ancient Chinese compass point: 165°; propyl
Etymology
Depicts a platform to put things on. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
About
The character "丙" has historically functioned as the third symbol in the system of ten Heavenly Stems, used since early times for cyclical sequencing and calendrical purposes. Its structure is a unified form composed of a top horizontal stroke covering a vertical hook and two internal strokes, which together constitute a single, indivisible grapheme in modern character analysis. Etymologically tied to its ordinal position, the character's core meaning of "third" has persisted, while its applications expanded over centuries to denote third grade or class in evaluative systems and to serve in modern scientific terminology, such as in chemistry where it represents three-carbon units in compounds like propane. The traditional form of the character is identical to its simplified counterpart, and it is not analytically decomposed into meaningful subcomponents in contemporary structural descriptions.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这是丙级产品。
丙烷是一种气体燃料。
丙烯常用于制造塑料。
丙酸可以用于食品防腐。
丙肝是一种肝脏疾病。
丙酮在实验室里很常见。
丙种球蛋白能增强免疫力。
根据测试结果，他被分到了丙班。